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Camp Serving Children who are Blind/Low Vision or Deaf/Hard of Hearing Celebrates 50th Anniversary

LANSING, MI – The Michigan Department of Education invites community members to drop in at Camp Tuhsmeheta on Saturday, Oct. 12, to celebrate the camp’s 50th anniversary during a seasonal open house.

The open house is from 10 a.m. to noon at the beautiful camp property located at 10500 Lincoln Lake Ave. NE in Greenville northeast of Grand Rapids. The name “Tuhsmeheta” includes the four senses of touch (tuh), smell (sme), hearing (he), and taste (ta).

Open since 1974, the 300-acre Camp Tuhsmeheta, or “Camp T,” has served campers who are blind or low vision and/or deaf or hard of hearing by providing a variety of fun and enriching experiences, including games, arts and crafts, and outdoor activities. While the camp still focuses on those populations, it also provides activities for other youth education groups.

”It’s important to provide equal access to education and outdoor and indoor activities for all children in Michigan,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael F. Rice. “I’m proud that Camp T has done this for a half century. We are celebrating this significant anniversary by inviting members of the public to check out the camp and all that it offers children.”

Fall open house attendees will have opportunities to tour the grounds, explore trails, enjoy s’mores, and share stories around a campfire. They will learn how campers experience the outdoors using different senses.

The open house events are for families and school staff supporting these students as well as community members and neighbors of the camp. Registration is not required.

American Sign Language interpreters will be present for these events and materials will be available in braille, large print, and standard print. Attendees are asked to keep their pets at home.

Michigan School for the Blind Superintendent Dr. Robert H. Thompson in 1974 established Camp Tuhsmeheta to provide an outdoor education for students who are blind or low vision. For nearly 20 years, the school’s students used Camp T. After the school closed, Camp T was the site of an outreach office for the state, which continued to maintain the camp and facilities.

In 2006, the facility was renamed. It now offers consultation, training, workshops, and resources to families and educational teams serving students who are blind and low vision and/or deaf or hard of hearing, striving to ensure equal access to a quality education for all these students.

Camp leaders say Camp T, which is featured in this video, has welcomed approximately 600 campers on average over the past three years and continues to grow. Last year attendance increased to over 700 campers.

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