Each year when spring arrives Maureen Dolman watches her 26-year-old daughter Lisa begin lining up her camping gear on the kitchen counter, all smiles, emotions ranging somewhere between joyful and jubilant.

Lisa, who is autistic and non-verbal, doesnít need words to let her mother know she is packing for Camp ReCreation.

Dean Faustman, 22, a graduate of Jesuit High School in Carmichael and Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, has seen his brother Ryan, 20, who stopped breathing when he was just hours old, spend his young life battling seizures and cerebral palsy.

While the bond between brothers has always been strong, no experience made the differences between them disappear like the weeks theyíve shared at Camp ReCreation.

Camp ReCreation is a non-denominational summer camping program serving Northern California children and adults with developmental disabilities. Sponsored by the Diocese of Sacramento, Camp ReCreation is a program of its department of Catholic Faith Formation.

Begun in 1983, the vision for Camp ReCreation was to create an environment where campers could grow spiritually, acknowledged for their differences and accepted for who they are.

The founders were Father Patrick Leslie, then chaplain at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville; Presentation Sister Anne Lucey, who served as a consultant for the dioceseís program for handicapped persons; and Ann Theobald, who at the time was a member of St. Mary Parish in Sacramento. Theobald, who has considerable experience working with camping programs for people with disabilities in Southern California, was recruited to work on the project by Sister Lucey at St. Mary where both attended Mass.

“It was a dream of Father Pat and Sister Anne to give campers an accepting, loving experience, knowing that camp and God loves them,” Theobald said. “For a week of their summer, we would pour all our energy into making that experience real for them.”

Camp Recreation has changed locations over the years, starting out at Camp Krem near Santa Cruz, then relocating to Camp Ross Relles, and moving this summer to Camp Ronald McDonald, located in the Sierras near Susanville.

Campers ranging in age from eight to 89, with disabilities from autism to vision impairment, are paired one on one with volunteers. For one week they live in a cabin with volunteers, coming together to dance and sing, swim and hike, laugh and pray.

John Donahoe, who has been volunteering at the camp for over 17 years, currently serves as the program administrator. A member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Fairfield, Donahoe had just retired from a 27-year career in the U.S. Air Force when a fellow member of the Knights of Columbus mentioned he was a volunteer at Camp Recreation. Donahoe signed up, initially thinking it sounded like a good way to donate his time.

“After about three days at camp you wake up one morning and realize youíre receiving so much more than youíre giving,” he said. “You realize you are growing right along with the campers. Thatís a real enlightenment.”

As for the campers, the blessings of the camping experience are many and immeasurable.

Dolman remembers that the feelings of anxiety she had when she sent her daughter off to camp the first year vanished when pictures taken of that trip were developed.

“She just looked so happy,” Dolman said. “Being without mom for a week pushed her independence.”

Camp ReCreation also brought the Dolmans a new friend, a camp counselor named Katie, who now stops by the house to take Lisa to the movies.

“I consider all the volunteers gifts from God,” said Dolman, who after seven years in the program enjoys relaxing herself on vacation trips.

Dean Faustman, who now has volunteered for five years at the camp, said because campers and counselors work together as a team, building trust in one another is a real strength of the camp.

“The barriers are taken down for people with disabilities,” said Faustman, who saw his brother Ryanís transformation, at ease talking with people, dancing at every opportunity. “You kind of let down your wall, trusting in others.”

Due to the fact that there are typically at least twice as many applicants to Camp ReCreation as there is space, a lottery is held in February to determine who will go to one of the campís two sessions, scheduled this year for June 21 to 28 and June 28 to July 5.

Last year there were 140 applicants to Camp ReCreation which has a capacity for approximately 80 campers.

“The hardest part of the job is doing the lottery, pulling out names of people who will not be able to come to camp,” said Debra Glauz, coordinator of Camp ReCreation.

A primary goal this year is to recruit more adult volunteers to supplement high school volunteers and enable the camping program to offer more weeks of camping in the future to meet the growing demand. Glauz said the ideal volunteer pool would include a mix of ages and experience levels so returning volunteers can mentor new ones.

Donations to fund tuitions for campers unable to pay the $475 camping fee are also needed.

For more information, to volunteer your services or to sponsor a camper, call John Donahoe or Debra Glauz at (916) 733-0136.

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