HIGH POINT, N.C. — While school is out for the summer, many kids go to camp while their parents go to work. However, the same cannot be said for some children with special needs because of availibility.

In North Carolina, there are less than 20 camps that are specialized for children with disabilities. So Candace Humphrey decided she’d turn her indoor gym into a summer camp in the mornings. 

Humphrey owns Q’s Corner in High Point, where she makes sure everyone feels inclusive. She didn’t plan on turning her gym into a camp, but after many people asked, she decided the community needed it. 

“They were just asking, ‘are you guys having a summer camp or do you know who’s doing summer camp?’ And I’m like, ‘I have no clue.’ And then I quickly realized we need a summer camp in our area, because we don’t have one,” Humphrey said. 

The indoor gym offers a wheelchair swing, sensory rooms, upstairs play area and, of course, an indoor gym. 

There’s even an alternate trampoline for children who don’t like the traditional one.

“Some kids don’t like to be enclosed in that small space or walking up the steps. So, this is just kind of an alternate way to get them involved with the jumping process and then maybe graduate into actually going inside the trampoline,” she said. 

This is the second summer they’ve had this camp, and the response has been overwhelming. 

“The fact that we only have 30 kids signed up, we have another 100-plus parents who are wanting to get their kids in, it just speaks to the volume of, you know, the necessity of a summer camp like this,” Humphrey said.

The camp even allows students to continue learning and developing what they were taught in school. 

Kim Clements, a longtime educator and teacher at the camp, says this camp is impactful for these students.

“I pray that each summer it can grow bigger, and the hours will be longer so that more kids can get this same support and impact and have somewhere to go that fits their needs,” Clements said.