september 2026 newsletter
a letter from our director
Dear Camp Tatiyee Supporters, Families, and Community,
As I reflect on another summer at Camp Tatiyee, I keep thinking about all the little moments that made it special. A camper trying something new. A group of friends laughing together after dinner. A counselor finding just the right way to help someone feel comfortable joining in. A family knowing their child had a place where they could be fully included, fully supported, and fully themselves. Those moments are what stay with us.
Camp is fun, of course. It should be. But underneath all of that fun is something much bigger. Camp gives people the chance to build confidence, form real friendships, discover new strengths, and experience a community that meets them exactly where they are.
That spirit comes through beautifully in Buba’s story this month. His week at camp is full of basketball, competition, humor, and friendship, but it also shows what can happen when someone is surrounded by people who understand them and give them room to shine.
You’ll also get a glimpse at the creativity and energy behind our recreation programs, and we’ll recognize SRP for the generous partnership that continues to help make camp completely free for families.
Even though our campers have headed home for the year, our work is already turning toward next summer. Every gift, partnership, and encouraging word from this community helps us prepare to welcome another group of campers to the mountain in 2027.
Thank you for believing in this place and, most importantly, for believing in our campers. We are so grateful to have you as part of the Camp Tatiyee family.
Yours in camping,
Pamela Swanson
Executive Director (Adult in Charge)
for buba, camp is empowering
Buba is athletic, competitive and always ready to play. At Lions Camp Tatiyee, basketball gave him an immediate way to connect with the people around him. But, what made the week especially meaningful was how easily those connections could grow beyond the game.
As a Deaf camper, Buba often moves through spaces where communication depends on whether other people can meet him where he is. During Deaf Week, he was surrounded by campers who shared his language and experiences, along with counselors who were eager to communicate with him. Conversations could move more naturally. Buba could joke, share stories about his life, and let people see the personality behind his talent.
That freedom followed him throughout camp. Whether he was competing on the recreation pad, participating in a science program, or spending time with friends in his dorm, Buba had room to participate fully and freely.
One of the most memorable moments of the summer was when Buba, a diehard Suns fan, learned that Kevin Durant had been traded. Buba claimed it was the darkest day in Arizona history and asked everyone to pay their respects in a short ceremony in the dormitory. The moment was funny, but it also captured something important about his time at camp. In just a few days, he had already made close friends.
Buba left Lions Camp Tatiyee with these new friendships and greater confidence in sharing who he was. Later that year, a counselor spotted his photograph in a Phoenix newspaper, playing for his school’s basketball team. He had tried out and made the team, a goal of his that year.
Camp was a chapter in Buba’s story, giving him a community he needed. It was a place to make friends, experience personal growth, and communicate freely within a community that understood him. At Lions Camp Tatiyee, he was not just included in the action. He was at the center of it.
accessible recreation is transformative
Camp Tatiyee’s recreation programs are built around fun, movement, and giving every camper a chance to jump in. That might mean a creative relay race, a giant group game, an adapted sport, or something completely new dreamed up by our staff. The games change from session to session, but the goal is always the same: make sure everyone can participate in a way that works for them.
That flexibility is what makes recreation at camp so special. Staff adapt rules, equipment, pacing, and roles based on the needs and abilities of each group. A camper might run, roll, throw, cheer, lead a team, or find their own way to be part of the action. Success is not about being the fastest or scoring the most points. It is about getting involved, trying something new, and having fun alongside friends.
And campers bring plenty of personality to it. Games get competitive, teams invent their own celebrations, and the sidelines can be just as energetic as the field. Recreation gives campers a chance to be silly, adventurous, and completely themselves.
Along the way, campers are also building confidence, practicing teamwork, strengthening friendships, and discovering what they can do. For some, it may be the first time they have participated fully in a physical activity without feeling left out or having to sit on the sidelines.
At Camp Tatiyee, we believe everyone deserves the chance to play. Our recreation programs help make that possible, creating a space where every camper can move, laugh, compete, and leave feeling like an important part of the team.
partner highlight: srp
Camp Tatiyee is deeply grateful for the continued support of SRP, a wonderful partner that has helped make life-changing camp experiences possible for children with special needs across Arizona.
For several years, SRP has provided generous funding that helps ensure campers can attend Camp Tatiyee completely free of charge. That support means families never have to worry about whether cost will stand between their child and a week filled with friendship, independence, adventure, and belonging.
Because of partners like SRP, campers are able to try new things, build confidence, connect with peers, and simply enjoy being a kid at summer camp. Their generosity helps create the kind of experiences that campers carry with them long after they head home.
We are incredibly thankful for SRP’s kindness, continued partnership, and belief in our campers. Their support is helping make sure every camper has the opportunity to experience the joy and community of Camp Tatiyee, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.
make a donation to celebrate 2026!
Summer 2027 may still feel a little ways off, but at Camp Tatiyee, preparations are already beginning.
Every camper who arrives next summer will come with their own personality, interests, goals, and story. Some, like Buba, will find connection through basketball and friendly competition. Others will discover confidence through art, recreation, science, go-karts, or simply spending time with people who understand them.
Your support helps make all of those moments possible.
A gift to Camp Tatiyee helps us prepare the programs, facilities, supplies, staffing, meals, and accessible experiences that make each week of camp so special. Most importantly, it helps ensure that every camper can attend completely free of charge.
That means families can say yes to camp without worrying about the cost. It means campers can arrive ready to make friends, try something new, laugh a lot, and discover just how much they are capable of.
As we begin preparing for another unforgettable summer, we hope you will consider making a gift to help welcome the campers of 2027. Your generosity creates the space for stories like Buba’s to happen again and again, one camper, one friendship, and one incredible week at a time.