CENTER’S MONROE MEYER INSTITUTE’S ANNUAL SUMMER CAMP IS IN FULL SWING. WELL, THE CAMPS FOR CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY AND IS KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S MADDIE AUGUSTINE REPORTS SOME SPECIAL GUESTS STOPPED BY TO GREET THE KIDS TODAY. CAMPERS AT CAMP MONROE WERE EAGER TO THANK THEIR SPECIAL VISITORS FROM WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS THIS AFTERNOON OFFERED BY THE MONROE MEYER INSTITUTE. CAMP MONROE IS A RECREATIONAL DAY CAMP FOR KIDS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES FOCUSED ON PROVIDING ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND EVERYDAY SUMMER ACTIVITIES FOR AGES THREE THROUGH 21. SOME OF OUR CAMPERS AREN’T ALWAYS ABLE TO ACCESS THE COMMUNITY AND ORD YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES BEING IN THE COMMUNITY CAN BE VERY OVERWHELMING OVER STIMULATING. AND THIS SUMMER, CAMP MONROE OFFERED SEVEN DIFFERENT WEEK LONG SESSIONS WITH EACH WEEK HIGHLIGHTING A UNIQUE GUEST. EACH WEEK WE TRY TO HAVE A SPECIAL GROUP COME IN AND DO A PERFORMANCE FOR OUR CAMPERS. WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS HAS BEEN COMING TO CAMP MONROE FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND IS ALWAYS A HIGHLIGHT. AND THIS IS ONE OF OUR FAN FAVORITES. THEY GET REALLY EXCITED. THEY TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME. THEY TELL THEIR PARENTS, THEY TALK ABOUT IT ALL DAY LONG AND THEY GET REALLY, REALLY EXCITED FOR IT. AND WHEN THEY COME BACK TO CAMP THE NEXT DAY, THEY USUALLY ASK WHEN THE ANIMALS ARE COMING OUT. THROUGHOUT THE VISIT FROM WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS, CAMPERS WERE ABLE TO LEARN ABOUT AND TOUCH SIX DIFFERENT ANIMALS, INCLUDING A WALLABY AMERICAN ALLIGATOR BEARDED DRAGON BOA CONSTRICTOR, A KINKAJOU AND A CROWD FAVORITE, AN ARMADILLO. ARMADILLOS ARE MY FAVORITE ANIMAL TO BLOGS IN OMAHA.