Exceptional Citizens Week is a co‐ed, week-long camp. Our campers are persons age 9 and above with intellectual and/or physical challenges.

All campers receive one‐to‐one care and experience a week of horseback riding, swimming, boating, arts and crafts, and many more special events that they otherwise might not be able to enjoy. The 300+ dedicated volunteers and many generous donors allow EC Week to offer this great week to campers at no cost to campers’ families and caregivers. The camp is wheelchair accessible and provides an on-site healthcare team available 24/7.

EC Week has offered a genuine summer camp experience and welcomed people of all faiths. It was held annually at Camp Fatima, through August 2024.

The idea was first discussed more than 70 years ago in Concord, New Hampshire by Bill Haller, President of The United Life and the father of a child with Down Syndrome, Dr. Tom Walker, a pediatrician at St. Paul’s School, and Rev. Richard O. Boner, Associate Pastor at St. John’s Parish. They were talking about a camp for children with intellectual disabilities. Father Boner began to work on the idea and in 1954, Exceptional Citizens’ (EC) Week was born

Without much experience working with children with intellectual disabilities, EC Week volunteers teamed up with student nurses from Sacred Heart Hospital in Manchester, New Hampshire, a group of Sisters of Mercy, a group of Sisters of St. Francis and seminarians from St. John’s Seminary. Their goal was to provide a fun, rewarding camp experience for 25 boys and girls.

EC Week has grown since that first year to include up to 170 campers and more than 300 volunteers each year from around the country. The idea Mr. Haller, Dr. Walker and Father Boner discussed more than seven decades ago has turned into a ‘unique week’ treasured by many exceptional citizens, families, and volunteers. It has also spurred the formation of similar camps nationwide.

EC Week is a highlight in the lives of campers every year. Each camper is treated as an exceptional citizen. We welcome volunteers and campers of any race, sex, creed, color, religion, orientation, disability, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to any camper at any camp.

All activities are centered around the camper’s interests and each camper is catered to by a qualified, enthusiastic and energetic volunteer staff, many of whom also consider the week a highlight in their year, and their lives. The counselors combine talents with the camp’s ample facilities to create a magical and memorable program. The campers enjoy activities that they might otherwise never have the opportunity to try.

EC Week 2025 will be held at Camp Pembroke, Pembroke, MA on August 17-23. Check our Send a Camper page for the camper application link.

How much does it cost to attend EC Week?
Nothing. EC Week is funded entirely by donations and therefore is provided at no cost to camper families or caretakers.

Does every potential camper who applies get to come to Camp?
No, there is an initial assessment process that must be completed. EC Week’s Head Staff then processes the assessment forms to make sure that the camper is appropriate for Camp, and that the needs of the camper can be met by our volunteer staff. Space is also limited to approximately 150 campers each year.

Once a camper attends, is he/she guaranteed to be invited again every year?
No. While many campers return to EC Week several times, EC Week’s Director — with input from the Girls and Boys Division Heads, and our Medical Director — has sole discretion in which campers attend EC Week. Our first priority is to invite new campers and hardship cases. Our second priority is to invite returning campers who have not attended in a number of years.

I want to volunteer; how do I apply?
EC Week is a large extended family. New staff members must be sponsored by a current or former staff person. Two letters of recommendation, as well as a criminal background check are mandatory. Please email EC Week’s Director if you would like more information about volunteering.

How old does a volunteer have to be?
All volunteer counselors and support staff must be at least 18 years of age. We do have a wait staff of teens between 15 and 17 years of age. Applicants must be 15 as of the first day of Camp. All food is served at Camp “family style” by the wait staff. If you need more information on becoming wait staff, please email EC Week’s Director. All wait staff must have a relative IN CAMP during EC Week.

I would like to make a donation of products for EC Week; should I just drop them off at Camp?
No, we ask that you email EC Week’s Director prior to sending anything to Camp. We require advance notice so that we can determine if the product can be used, and also so that if we do need it, we can remove it from our list of things to buy.

Has EC Week been the recipient of any national award for the work it does?
Yes! We proudly accepted the Eleanor Eells Award in 2006.