Golf Tournament for Camp Mauchatea

“Mauchatea” means “Be My Guide” in the Narragansett language. Camp Mauchatea, an extended overnight camping and adventure experience, has helped to guide Rhode Island’s blind and visually impaired on the journey to adulthood.

When the Rhode Island Lions Sight Foundation in 1992 agreed to expand a modest program originated by the Rhode Island State Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired into a full fledged week long camping experience there were few recreational opportunities for Rhode Island’s visually impaired youngsters.

Over the years, Camp enrollment has leveled to about 25, and a winter outing has been added. All Rhode Islanders aged 6 to 17 who are legally blind, including those with multiple handicaps, are welcome at Camp Mauchatea and the winter recreational outing at no cost.

Week long summer camp activities include: field trips, swimming, boating, a fishing derby, adaptive golfing, bowling, hiking and Nature study, arts and crafts, adaptive cooking, campfires and sing-a-longs. Winter outing activities include: skiing – tethered to a sighted skier, snow tubing, and at an indoor water park: swimming, floating on inner-tubes, and rafting through curls and tunnels.

Camper/Staff ratio is 2:1 and under the able leadership of Camp Director Linda Hughes, Camp Mauchatea’s highly-qualified staff has experienced a low turnover from year-to-year. Two of the junior staff are, in fact, pursuing careers as teachers of the blind as a direct result of their Camp experience.

The goal of the Lions of Rhode Island is to allow every visually impaired child in the state to participate in this unparalleled recreational program, and to make these positive confidence building experiences even better with the passing years.