Throughout the fall 2024 semester, The Ability Experience hosted several Ability Camps across the country, making a difference at 11 camps in 11 different states while engaging 352 undergraduate students, six alumni and 11 facilitators in servant leadership.
Ability Camps are national service projects that provide funding and manpower to build and renovate structures for camps and facilities serving the disability community. Members of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity from various universities construct accessible fishing piers, boardwalks, pavilions, playgrounds and more to highlight the abilities of people with disabilities. The work done will help enhance the lives of people with disabilities while also building bonds of brotherhood.
From deck construction in Colorado to sensory room builds in Wisconsin, the brothers of Pi Kappa Phi, alongside camp directors and facilitators, helped make these camps more accessible for the individuals with disabilities they serve.
Here’s a look at the projects The Ability Experience tackled this semester, and the lasting impact Pi Kappa Phi brothers made at each camp.
Camp Twin Lakes – Rutledge, Georgia
September 20-22, 2024
More than 50 brothers from Eta Delta (Kennesaw State), Eta Zeta (Queens-Charlotte), Gamma Kappa (Georgia Southern) and Gamma Psi (Augusta) headed to Camp Twin Lakes to continue building upon The Ability Experience’s decades-long tradition of service. Camp Twin Lakes provides fully adaptive and deeply impactful camp experiences to children and families living with or affected by serious illnesses, disabilities and other life challenges year-round. Projects included laying landscaping rocks in the traffic circle, removing overgrown weeds and constructing garbage can holders to improve the camp’s functionality. The men also built raised garden beds for the vegetable farm, split logs for next summer’s campfires and prepared cabin interiors by pulling nails, staples and tacks.
These efforts freed up the camp’s maintenance team, saving them weeks of labor and allowing them to focus on other critical tasks. Pi Kappa Phi has a long history of service to Camp Twin Lakes, dating back to the 1990s, including the construction of nature trails, an amphitheater and hundreds of camper beds.
Camp Stand by Me – Seattle, Washington
October 11-13, 2024
Brothers from Alpha Zeta Chapter (Oregon State) and Alpha Delta (Washington) worked to rebuild an outdoor deck space for the arts and crafts building at Camp Stand By Me. This space had been unusable for the past three summers, but with the help of The Ability Experience, it will soon be a beautiful, functional area for campers to enjoy. During the weekend, the men of Pi Kappa Phi also worked on camp beautification projects, preparing the property for winter and the summer camp season in 2025.
Evan Austin, The Ability Experience’s development officer, served as the facilitator for this program. “Camp Stand By Me had so many people who wanted to attend camp this summer that they had originally planned for 10 weeks of camps but ended up needing to extend that to 13 weeks of campers with disabilities to accommodate the overwhelming interest,” said Austin. “All campers moving forward will have the ability to do arts and crafts outside because of the work that the brothers from Oregon State and the University of Washington did.”
Since 1974, Easterseals Camp Stand By Me has been a barrier-free environment for children and adults with disabilities to experience all the joys of camp without limitations.
Camp Civitan – Williams, Arizona
October 11-13, 2024
Forty-eight undergraduate members from Beta Theta (Arizona), Theta Omicron (Nevada-Reno), Kappa Omega (Utah), Theta Upsilon (Northern Arizona) and Iota Eta (Embry-Riddle) spent their weekend prepping Camp Civitan for the winter months by landscaping, cleaning up the garden and sanding and repainting picnic tables. Their work ensured the camp would be ready for winter temperatures and snowfall. Founded in 1969, Camp Civitan is gearing up for its 56th camp season in 2025. The program offers campers various enriching and fun experiences that promote positive self-esteem, teamwork, socialization and healthy activities.
When asked about his experience at the Ability Camp, undergraduate member Alex Deines, Theta Upsilon (Northern Arizona), said getting to engage with campers at Camp Civitan was a surprise but a welcome one. “My favorite part of the weekend was getting to know the campers and being able to talk to some of the people with disabilities here,” said Dinas. “In our chapter, we’ve fundraised, but you don’t always get to have experiences like this that show you why you are fundraising for this cause.”
To anyone hesitant about attending an Ability Camp, he says, “At the end of the day, it’s just one weekend. If you don’t have a great time, you’ve only wasted one weekend. But I think when you get to camp and witness what you spend your time fundraising for, you’ll want to spend your weekends like this whenever you get the opportunity.”
Rocky Mountain Village – Empire, Colorado
October 18-20, 2024
In Colorado, Pi Kappa Phi brothers from Kappa Sigma (Colorado-Colorado Springs), Eta Gamma (Colorado) and Iota Kappa (Greeley) helped prepare Rocky Mountain Village for the winter season while tackling several vital projects. They demolished an old deck, prepped rebar and post-holes for a new one and moved supplies closer to the construction area. Additionally, they contributed to painting murals in the art room and began the installation of rock siding on the main lodge. Because of their efforts, the camp will be ready for future activities and for campers to enjoy all year.
Campers are not the only people who felt the positive impact of this Ability Camp. In their Instagram post about the experience, the Kappa Sigma Chapter shared, “We had an excellent weekend with our Pi Kappa Phi brothers from the Eta Gamma and Iota Kappa Chapters serving The Ability Experience thanks to the excellent opportunities Pi Kappa Phi has to offer us. Getting to know them and seeing the similarities and differences between our chapters was an excellent learning and growing experience and has brought our chapters closer together.”
Camp Wawbeek – Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
October 25-27, 2024
Brothers from Alpha Phi (Illinois Tech) built a new sensory corner, costume wardrobe and closet shelves, enhancing the camp and creating a space for everyone at Camp Wawbeek to enjoy.
Pi Kappa Phi alumnus Kyle Ramlow, Iota Rho (Western Illinois), served as the camp’s facilitator and witnessed the work’s power firsthand. “Volunteering your time at an Ability Camp like this enables the completion of meaningful projects and programs that may otherwise be financially improbable,” said Ramlow. “Being able to rely on dedicated volunteers like the brothers of Pi Kappa Phi fosters a sense of collaboration and allows camps like Camp Wawbeek to focus their funds on enriching the experiences of their participants.”
Rochester Rotary Sunshine Camp – Rush, New York
October 25-27, 2024
Pi Kappa Phi brothers from schools across New York, including Alpha Tau (RPI), Eta Lambda (SUNY-Brockport), Theta Psi (RIT) and Syracuse visited the Rochester Rotary Sunshine Camp to complete a wide array of projects. The weekend kicked off with the Holy Childhood’s Halloween party, hosted at the camp, which allowed the undergraduate members to have fun and form friendships with the people who benefit from the camp’s facilities and programs. They repaired a totem pole, painted the interior of the camp’s playhouse with chalk paint, cleared downed trees, split wood, removed brush, prepared firewood and constructed a carport. Additionally, The Ability Experience provided a $7,000 grant to help send seven individuals living with disabilities to camp next summer whose families otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford it. The weekend’s efforts will help make the camp more welcoming, functional and enjoyable for campers for years to come.
For more than 100 years, Rochester Rotary Sunshine Camp has met the needs of children with paralysis and other physical challenges and their families, serving as a fully accessible residential summer camp. Each summer, more than 2,500 children and adult campers with disabilities and city youth take advantage of this 157-acre campground, the only camp facility in Greater Rochester, that gives children with special needs unique overnight camping experiences.
Camp ASCCA – Jackson’s Gap, Alabama
November 1-3, 2024
Since the early 1990s, Pi Kappa Phi brothers have been visiting Camp ASCCA each year to assist with various building projects around the camp, including building the camp’s fishing dock, Ziptower, game room, zipline platform and more. This year, undergraduate members from Iota Nu (Mississippi State), Gamma Phi (South Alabama) and Gamma Nu (LaGrange) worked on replacing the floating lakefront dock, removing old cement blocks and replacing them with pressure-treated lumber. At the pickleball courts, brothers created an accessible path and built an inclusive Gaga Ball area.
Completing these projects will directly benefit campers, providing new spaces for play and better access to existing camp amenities. “It’s overwhelming. I could close my eyes, spin around, and point to something, and odds are, Pi Kapp members helped build it,” said Camp Director Matt Rickman about the noticeable impact The Ability Experience has had on the facility over the years.
Camp High Hopes – Sioux City, Iowa
November 8-10, 2024
At Camp High Hopes, Pi Kappa Phi brothers from Alpha Omicron (Iowa State) and Nu (Nebraska-Lincoln) got to work clearing paths for a new nature trail and started building a 30-foot bridge. This bridge will provide campers access to the wooded areas on campus for the first time. Additionally, they helped the camp prepare for winter by completing several smaller projects.
Camp High Hopes offers exceptional recreational activities for children, teens and adults with disabilities, special needs and chronic illnesses. The camp’s team removes barriers and fosters physical, social and emotional growth while ensuring safety and independence. They provide tailored programs, adaptive equipment, a low staff-to-camper ratio and personalized attention. Inclusivity, empathy, respect and fun are at the core of Camp High Hopes’s mission, which aims to empower everyone attending camp to flourish and grow.
Golden Heart Ranch – Agoura Hills, California
November 8-10, 2024
Brothers from Kappa Pi (Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo), Kappa Mu (California-Merced) and Delta Rho (University Park) made a significant impact at Golden Heart Ranch by dismantling an old playground and preparing the site for new physical education equipment, all of which will benefit the ranch’s residents. The undergraduate members and alumni in attendance also cared for the ranch’s animals, cleaned the stables and helped set up the holiday wonderland for the upcoming “Breakfast with Santa” event.
As an inclusive community where all young adults learn, work and create lifelong friendships in a supportive and caring environment, Golden Heart Ranch provides young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities opportunities to reach their full potential and live meaningful, joyful lives.
Camp For All – Burton, Texas
November 8-10, 2024
Pi Kappa Phi brothers from Beta Omicron (Northwestern State), Delta Omega (Texas A&M) and Beta Nu (Houston) spent their weekend at Camp For All fixing fencing around the camp, repainting benches and assisting with a variety of camp activities, including equestrian events and zip lines. Their efforts helped ensure the camp could continue offering safe, enjoyable experiences for all campers year-round.
Since 1998, Camp For All has operated with one goal in mind: to ensure that every activity offered is available to every individual who comes to Camp, offering a true barrier-free experience where everyone feels welcomed and encouraged. The camp offers programming all year, closing only briefly from the end of November to the first week of January.
Camp Fish Tales – Pinconning, Michigan
November 8-10, 2024
Alumni and undergraduate members from Beta Xi (Central Michigan) and Upsilon (Illinois-Urbana-Champaign) spent a weekend at Camp Fish Tales working on various projects to improve the camp. The brothers built a new slingshot frame and started working on paneling, cutting wood for an area designed to look like the Old West. Additionally, they built a sliding door for a storage area built last year by Ability Camp attendees. They also checked the quality of fishing rods and created a PVC fishing rod storage system. Despite facing a storm and less-than-ideal weather conditions, the team protected the materials they were using so they would not warp before they could be used.
Camp Fish Tales shared, “Together, The Ability Experience and Pi Kappa Phi are helping to change how society views people with disabilities and fraternities. Because labels should not define us, THANK YOU for coming to Camp Fish Tales—you should be so proud of what you accomplished to make our camp a better place. It is in giving that we receive.”
Since 1966, Camp Fish Tales has operated as a year-round independent non-profit camp, conference and retreat center and strives to be a barrier-free camp for people of all ages and all abilities.
Reflecting on the fall 2024 semester’s Ability Camps, it’s clear that these efforts extend far beyond the physical improvements made to each camp. Whether it was constructing a sensory room, installing an accessible boardwalk or preparing a camp for winter, each project was a step toward building a more inclusive world for individuals with disabilities. Pi Kappa Phi brothers not only enhanced camp facilities but also forged lasting relationships with each other, gained a deeper understanding of the impact of their chapter’s fundraising efforts and grew as servant leaders.
When these brothers returned to their chapters, they brought back more than just memories; they brought with them the understanding that service to others is a lasting gift and that the legacy of The Ability Experience extends well beyond their individual chapter experience. The work done this semester will continue to make a difference for years to come, providing life-changing experiences for campers and furthering the mission of The Ability Experience. When Pi Kappa Phi brothers come together, they can make a lasting difference in the lives of people with disabilities while becoming servant leaders, one project at a time.
To learn more about Ability Camps, and to view the schedule of upcoming Ability Camp opportunities, click here