Video: Camp Jigsaw Campers

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) -Lake Tiak O’Khata in Louisville was filled with summer campers today. Camp Jigsaw was among the many camps there, but this camp is unique

When you think of summer camp; swimming, boating and hanging with friends comes to mind but Camp Jigsaw has a different meaning for these kids.

“I cant even explain it, like it’s helping me out so much,” Jigsaw Camper Andrew Carlisle says, “I have more friends now more closer friends.”

Campers from across the U.S. attend the camp.
“They’re from all over the country,” Graduate Assistant Matt Collier says, “We even have a kid from Alaska we have some from Texas we do have some regional kids.”

Kids have fun in the sun, but work on skills to help their social development.

“it helps me become a better person and really like understand how people feel and how people should live,”Camp Jigsaw Camper Colton Mulligan said.

Collier says,”their friendship making skills, self determination skills… really just getting them out from under the wing of their parent helps them out so much.”

For some campers, this is their first time to play basketball at Camp Jigsaw. While others have been here for several years.
Counselors say they can see the impact the camp is making on the kids.

Camp Counselor Parker Davis says, “To see more new students coming in and intermingling with the students who’ve already been here  I like to see people improving on what they are improving on this year even farther the next year. hopefully throughout the year they are able to do the things we are teaching them and we will see that improvement next year.”

This is the only camp of it’s kind where campers and their families do not have to pay a fee. The camp relies on donations.