• Various Recreational Activities

• Age range of participants:
  
  0 - 3 years: No
  
  3 - 5 years: No
  
  6 - 12 years: Yes
  
  13 - 18 years: Yes
  
  18 - 21 years: No

• Accessible by Public Transportation: No
  
  
• Transportation Provided by the Program: No

"Mauchatea" means "Be My Guide" in the Narragansett language, and in the eight years of its existence as an extended overnight camping and adventure, Camp Mauchatea 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. In several short years, Camp enrollment has grown from 35 to well over 50 youngsters, and continues to grow. All Rhode Islanders aged 6 to 17 who are legally blind are welcome at Camp Mauchatea at no cost, to include those with multiple hanicaps. Camp Mauchatea is held at the Conference Center at Camp Canonicus in Exeter, Rhode Island. 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, in fact, are pursuing careers as teachers of the blind as a direct result of their Camp experience.