provided to The Santiva Chronicle
250 returning campers, their caregivers, and volunteers are expected at Sanibel Community Church on April 18,2026 to celebrate camper birthdays and reconnections, and enjoy games, music, and dancing. “Joyful Spirit” and volunteer-of-the-year recognitions will be part of the celebrations.
Trailways Camps was started by Sharon and Jerry Miller to honor their sons, Robert and Ben, who were born with a rare disease and severe disabilities. The mission is to enable adults with special needs and those who care for them to develop their social, emotional, and spiritual relationships.
44 Trailways Camp sessions have now been provided in SW Florida. Jamie Senkeleski, an island resident, was appointed Executive Director of the organization in 2022. Captiva Chapel by the Sea, Florida Trust Wealth Management, Shalimar Beach Resort, Sanibel Captiva Lions Club, Susen H. Berg, Sanibel Community Church, and Grampy’s Charities are among the returning sponsors. Pastor Jeramie Rinnie will welcome participants, and Steve Greenstein will return as the Emcee. Jerry Miller, Trailways Camps Board Chair, will provide highlights from the past year and officially launch the new Trailways Camps Forward: Our Journey video to those present.
A special moment at each reunion gathering is the drawing that reserves two spaces for two returning campers at a Fall camp and awards a respite week for their caregivers. The wait time for campers to return is now 5 to 6 years due to limited capacity. Chet and Nancy Niesel, along with the Shalimar Beach Resort, are the sponsors of this caregiver respite time on Sanibel during the Riverside Retreat camp sessions.
A glimpse into the year ahead will include: 1. The 4th camp session at Riverside Retreat near Alva, made possible by Grampy’s Charities’ generous 50K in 50 days match campaign in 2025; 2. A new “in community” camp model that will launch on Sanibel in May 2026, made possible by generous sponsorship from the Sanctuary Golf Club Foundation; and 3. Launch of a new Day Camping program provided on Sanibel because of the generous sponsorship of The Charitable Foundation of the Islands, 100 + Women Who Care.
The two new opportunities for the island community will be prioritizing camping experiences for adults with special needs who are family members of island residents or employees of Sanibel organizations or businesses.