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For some, camp is essential

The look may be different, but the spirit of summer camps for those with special needs will remain.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Summer camp is a staple of many a childhood. A week of games, friends, sun, and fun. 

A week at Camp GonnaWannaGoAgain is all of those things, and a bit more. 

"He's the hardest working little boy I know," said Nicole Miller, chapter operations manager for Autism Society Tidewater, and mom to 12-year old Alex, who is diagnosed with autism. 

The camp provides an escape from all that work. 

"We're introducing kids to the community, and the community to these kids," said Pam Clendenen, Executive Director for FACTS, the organization that oversees Camp GonnaWannaGoAgain. 

More than just a productive, safe and fun environment for the campers, the weeks provide hundreds of volunteers the opportunity to get experience with children diagnosed with autism. This same benefit extends to various areas of the community where the camp goes to do activities. 

For these reasons, Camp GonnaWannaGoAgain feels essential. So, they're making modifications to ensure that camp will go on through the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The camp will move to a bigger, more isolated space, there will be fewer campers, and constant monitoring and cleaning will take place. The most hurtful change to Clendenen will be the lack of volunteers. 

"It just breaks my heart, because so much of it is giving the kids a chance to co-mingle," she explained. 

Despite this, the camp will go on and the campers will get a break from a year -- and a lifetime -- of hard work.

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