Camp Aldersgate

Camp Aldersgate has been a fixture in Little Rock’s nonprofit community for 57 years, but its mission is renewed every summer – every weekend, even.

Founded by the United Methodist Women as a meeting place for Arkansans of all races during the era of racial segregation, Aldersgate is now an independent organization devoted to enriching the lives of young Arkansans with medical or physical conditions or developmental delays and to providing support to the families.

Though there are 14 employees year-round, the payroll balloons to about 75 in the summer, when every day is a camp day. And there are about half a dozen counselors who work weekends throughout the year, since one of Aldersgate’s primary services is weekend respite care to help preserve the stability of families of disabled children. Since summer medical camps and weekend respite programs were added in the 1970s, more than 16,000 children and youth have had the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors, according to Sarah Wacaster, an eight-year employee who was promoted to executive director in June.

“It blows your mind when you think of how many kids have passed through our doors,” Wacaster said. “Some of them grow up with us. Some of them become our volunteers. Some become staff members here.”

Other Aldersgate alumni are practicing medicine and law, she said. “They just grow up to be thriving young people through their experience with the camp.”

Operating on just under $1 million, Camp Aldersgate receives almost 60 percent of its funding from gifts – a number that has had to increase as state funding for such programs has been whittled away.

“We no longer desire to be one of ‘Arkansas’ best-kept secrets,” Camp Aldersgate employees wrote in their entry form for this year’s awards.

Still, Aldersgate is adding programs, including camps open to children with disabilities and those without.

“That’s been a very big success,” Wacaster said.