GILMANTON IRON WORKS — Exceptional Citizens Week at the Diocese of Manchester's Camp Fatima has received the Eleanor Eells Award for Program Excellence from the American Camp Association.

Exceptional Citizens (EC) Week is a nonsectarian outdoor camp experience that enables developmentally and physically challenged people to have the same camp opportunities as others.

EC Week involves volunteers who work with the campers under the supervision of the professional camp staff. The volunteers also raise all the funding and provide the camping experience at no charge to any of the participants, who range in age from 8 to 80. EC Week begins after the regular camping season at Camp Fatima concludes.

Camp Fatima, founded in 1949, is centrally located between Concord, the state capital, and the city of Laconia. Fatima has a camper capacity of 310 boys per session, housed in 29 cabins, each containing its own lavatory facility. The Diocese also operates Camp Bernadette in Wolfeboro. Founded in 1953, Camp Bernadette has a camper capacity of 270 girls per session.

The Eleanor Eels Award for Program Excellence is designed to honor programs that develop effective, creative responses to the needs of people and/or social problems using the camp environment to encourage continued development of such ideas to stimulate the exchange of creative ideas and to present to the public examples of positive contributions camp has made on the well-being of individuals and society.

Gus Planchet, director of diocesan camps, said that EC has been providing this camping experience for over 50 years.

"We know that camping has been a major highlight in the lives of our campers and their families," said Planchet. "EC Week not only enriches the lives and boosts the self-esteem of our campers, but it also provides families with a needed respite while assuring them their loved ones are receiving all the care and attention they need."

In the award description EC Week is cited for its work with campers. They "are treated as exceptional citizens: all activities are centered around their interests and they are catered to by a qualified, enthusiastic and energetic volunteer staff, including a large medical team. All activity areas are open during program time and an individual may participate wherever he or she wishes."

Planchet said the most recent EC Week concluded on Aug. 18 and was attended by 150 campers. It was the 51st year for EC Week. Since its inception thousands of campers have enjoyed the activities of a traditional summer camp.