CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.- (CLARKSVILLENOW) Northwest High School Band Director Vanessa Cobb brought a number of instruments and 6 band students to help teach the special needs adults about music.
Camp MARC, a camp for adults with complex disabilities, has been serving adults with special needs since 1962. The concept for Camp MARC began with a few pioneering parents who wanted to offer their children with special needs an opportunity to experience summer camp like other children.
In the beginning camp hosted one week for youth with complex disabilities and one week for adults with complex disabilities. As time went on the cost of operating camp for two weeks was too great. Camp elected to serve adults with complex disabilities because there were so few opportunities for adults with special needs that was readily available to youth.
The 54th year of Camp MARC was held at Brandon Springs Group Camp in Dover, TN the first week of July 2016. Each day campers participate in arts and crafts, music, drama, nature, sports, swimming, and boats. In addition to these daily activities we have several camp-wide events; Camp MARC Olympics, Cabaret, an Awards Ceremony, and a Dance.
This year the campers of Camp MARC had the opportunity to learn about and play musical instruments thanks to the time and generosity of the Northwest High School Viking Band Program.
When asked Cobb said, “I wanted to bring my students to the camp because I thought it would be a great opportunity. The petting zoo allowed them to teach others about the instruments. They had to use the knowledge they knew about music and their instruments to be able to help others learn. I think they learned a lot from this experience. I think they learned that music is a language everyone can understand. I also think they learned just how much music can bring joy into someone’s life.”
For more information about Camp MARC please visit their website at www.campmarc.org. for more information about the Northwest High School Band program please visit the band page on the NWHS Fine Arts website.