Camp Riley

Student-athletes headed to Martinsville, Indiana for IU Athletics Night at camp

By Indiana Athletics

July 19^th, 2017

The laughter was infectious. The smiles were plentiful.

Freshman Grace Walther formed an immediate bond with Noah. Her most memorable moment of the night was seeing the sheer excitement on his face when the song “Me Too” came on and dancing with him to his favorite song.

Everyone was having fun as Indiana student-athletes traveled to the Bradford Woods for IU Athletics Night at Camp Riley, a camp designed to empower children with physical disabilities by providing them with life-changing experiences.

This summer marked the fifth straight year IU student-athletes had come to Camp Riley. The evening started with campers sharing their experiences.

Owen, in his fifth summer at Camp Riley said that the camp makes kids with disabilities feel like they can do anything and said it has meant everything to him. Owen, a huge IU fan, added that knowing IU cares enough to take the time out of their day means a lot as well.

Kendra said it’s great having the athletes see how awesome Camp Riley is and experiencing it first-hand.

The student-athletes broke up into groups with various cabins and did a variety of activities from wheelchair basketball to adaptive volleyball to a climbing tower and more.

Bayli Lebo, a freshman on the volleyball team bonded with a kid named Christopher, who loved the color green and wore a mask because he loves ninja turtles.

“I loved spending time with the amazing kids, who love to have a good time,” Lebo said. “It was awesome going and making a difference in a kid’s day.”

Delroy Baker, a redshirt junior on the football team was a favorite among the kids. Baker said his favorite activity was drawing on the Camp Riley poster. He drew his favorite camper, Audra, right next to Piglet and Finn the human and said it was great.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the Camp Riley experience,” he said. “The confidence the kids show is absolutely infectious. There was so much competition in some of the games that I almost high five’d one of the kids too hard.”

Each summer, hundreds of campers with physical disabilities and medical conditions make their “home away from home” at Camp Riley. It is made possible through the support of Riley Children’s Foundation. Cam Riley has offered unique programs for youth with disabilities and chronic illnesses since 1955.

Walther said it was amazing to see how much Camp Riley means to the kids.

“Camp Riley teaches these kids that they are not confined to their wheelchairs but instead are capable of doing or playing any sport they desire with just a little extra assistance and a couple of fantastic counselors,” Walther said.

“Camp Riley was a fun, heartwarming experience in which I was given the amazing opportunity to get to know and play games with some fantastic individuals who face adversity in their everyday lives,” Walther added. “Their ability to see past their disabilities and break out in laughter during a game of human bowling, or bust a move when their favorite song comes on creates an infectious environment in which you can't help but smile and laugh alongside of them. I’ll be back next year, no doubt about it.”