The J.D. McCarty Center has one bed in its facility dedicated to providing a break for family members of the center's patients -- disabled children who require exponentially more time and energy than an able-bodied youngster.

All of that is set to change.

Curt Peters, director and chief operating officer of JDMC, recently announced plans to begin construction on Camp ClapHans, a $4.5 million campsite -- tailor-made for special needs children -- situated on 25 acres in the southwest section of JDMC's property on the banks of a "proven fishing hole."

"I'm still hoping to have a groundbreaking by the end of summer, but depending on some things, we might wait until October for better weather," Peters said.

He said $3.8 million already has been raised, mostly through the center's revenues and donations.

Marketing Director Greg Gaston said plans to raise the additional $830,000 are already in the works, although nothing has been finalized.

"The balance will be raised through fundraising efforts," he said. "We have some groups that have been targeted and some of them may have an interest in getting involved with the center."

The first phase is expected to be finished 12 to 18 months after construction begins.

A long time coming

Camp ClapHans isn't something that any one person thought of more than 10 years ago.

In fact, ask the administrators whom to credit for the concept of Camp ClapHans and you get the feeling it's a collective brainchild, something arrived upon naturally after years and years of listening to the parents of the center's patients.

Vicki Kuestersteffen, the center's deputy director, has been working at JDMC for the past 15 years.

"This camp was born from us serving the families that come here every day, finding out what services they want for their children," she said.

"Most of the children here wouldn't be able to do these kinds of things, so we really wanted to incorporate a camp experience for them."

Camp ClapHans, whose activities will all be therapy-based, will look like your average camp -- it'll have cabins, a mess hall and an arts and crafts center -- but it will be anything but typical, Peters said.

"If it was just a camp that isn't geared toward children with disabilities, then it may cost around $149 a week," he said. "It costs a lot more to do things with a special needs child just to take all the necessary precautions."

Peters said the children who will attend the camp usually will require specific medications, as well as diets customized to meet the individual's needs. And depending on the child's disorder, various medical staff also will be required on location to ensure the camper's safety.

Two nurses will be on duty 24 hours a day and a physician will be on call at all times. There will be eight, week-long camps every summer.

Because of the high costs, JDMC administrators say volunteers will be vital. Each cabin will house six disabled children, and each camper will need a "camp buddy" -- all of whom will be volunteers -- to assist them through the week-long session. Other volunteers called "runners" also will be used to perform menial tasks around the site once Camp ClapHans is up and running.

"Obviously, a lot of volunteers are going to be needed for the camp to run smoothly," Gaston said. "It's a good opportunity for individuals, church groups and others wanting to help. Volunteers are going to be the key to success here."

A scholarship program is also in the works and administrators said they are looking at the idea of allowing sponsors to pay the way of potential campers, many of whom would never be able to afford to attend on their own.

"Ninety percent of the center's patients are Medicaid eligible," Peters said.

Not just for the children

Camp ClapHans will be designed, first and foremost, with disabled children in mind.

The pool will be "zero entry," meaning that the water will start from ground level and gradually get deeper, "kind of like the wave pool at White Water Bay," Gaston said.

Wheelchairs made from PVC pipe will allow those who cannot walk the opportunity to use the pool.

An adapted tree house and ropes course also will be on the grounds for the children to enjoy.

But Camp ClapHans isn't just for the disabled children -- it's for their families, too.

"We have a respite program to give the parents a break from the stress of caring for a disabled child, but it's only one bed at a time," Kuestersteffen said.

"As you can imagine, the bed is pretty much booked all year."

Often overshadowed or overlooked due the constant attention a disabled child receives from their parents, siblings also will be incorporated into the camp.

"It's nice to have the siblings come together to give the parents a respite, and we actually have behavioral specialists on hand to work with the siblings," Kuestersteffen said. "They deal with their own issues and the camp will give them a chance to feel special."

What's a ClapHans, anyway?

Camp ClapHans was named for Native American Sammy Jack Claphans, a massive lineman who played at the University of Oklahoma and later in the NFL.

After leaving professional football, Claphans returned to his native Stilwell where he worked with special needs children until his death in 2001.

Shortly after his death, JDMC began raising money to build a cabin -- which evolved into an entire camp -- in his honor.

Camp ClapHans is expected to be completed in late 2009 or early 2010, Peters said.

Andrew Knittle 366-3527 aknittle@normantranscript.com