Leadership change continues legacy of Camp Able Coronado, SDSU's service project empowering children and adults with disabilities through transformative aquatic recreational experiences

Taking advantage of the beautiful seaside location that San Diego offers, Camp Able Coronado is a program that provides children and adults with disabilities unique experiences on the water, such as sailing around San Diego Bay, canoeing, and other beach activities.

“(Camp Able) feels like a hidden gem within the portfolio of things that SDSU does for its community,” said Jess Ponting, a recreation and tourism management associate professor in the L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at San Diego State University.

Located at Silver Strand State Beach in Coronado, the camp is a service project operated under the SDSU Research Foundation and the Campanile Foundation, which require a full-time SDSU faculty member to head the project.

Ponting, director of the SDSU Center for Surf Research (CSR), has been Camp Able’s project director since he took over the role a year ago from Gene Lamke, professor emeritus in Hospitality and Tourism Management.

“(Ponting) has a lot of qualities and a background that I think can add to the Camp Able at Coronado experience,” Lamke said.

Lamke, who retired in May 2021 after 52 years of teaching, co-founded the camp with his mentor Robert F. Hanson. The concept originated in the 1970s, with the camp's inaugural session taking place in 1981.

“The reason I’ve been involved so long is because we’ve had such tremendous support from the community, not only the greater San Diego community, but Coronado especially,” said Lamke.

Lamke said he is extremely proud of this program and all the work that people put into it, and he remains involved, now serving on one of the organization’s committees.

Jenelle Nettles, the current part-time director of Camp Able appointed by Lamke, has been involved in the organization for 25 years while also working at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego.

Lamke also commended Nettles for the success of the Camp Able Gala, an annual event that raises money for the camp through silent and live auctions, providing the revenue needed for outreach and services.

Nettles started as a volunteer and was “hooked after the first summer.” Shortly after, she became the camp’s volunteer program coordinator and said, “the rest (was) history.”

“It’s a big source of joy for me,” Nettles said. “I feel very fortunate to be able to have a job where I’m getting paid to do something that I love…I wake up in the morning excited to work for Camp Able.”

“I have always been really interested in the benefits of recreation and, in particular, recreation in the water for people of all kinds,” said Ponting. “...that’s exactly what Camp Able provides.”

Ponting said his position as director of the SDSU Center for Surf Research has deepened his understanding of the benefits of programs like Camp Able and the positive impact outdoor experiences can have on individuals.

“Surf therapy can help people who are recovering from trauma or PTSD, as well as people with physical disabilities and mental disabilities,” he said.

Ponting called attention to the isolation that many disabled children and adults feel in social settings and said he wants to continue to make Camp Able a place where they can feel “welcomed for who they are all day long.”

“We have campers who have been coming to Camp Able for 30 years,” Lamke said. “They were 10 when they started, and now they’re 40, and this is a great opportunity for them.”

“I think the thing that I love most are the campers and their families,” Nettles said. “It’s a great community. Camp Able really is a family, and it’s kind of become my second family.”

One program every summer has expanded to become one weekend per month, but Ponting hopes that with more recognition and support from the community, the camp will be able to further increase the services they provide.

Ponting noted that while many people in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management are aware of this program, the broader university community could benefit from a greater understanding of just how transformational this program and its outreach are for the disabled community.

“I think it’s an incredible project, one that’s badly needed in San Diego, and one that connects really well with the Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management,” Lamke said.

Ponting hopes to lead the organization with values such as support and encouragement and said the biggest highlight of being project director for him is “being a part of something that’s genuinely transformational for a large number of San Diego families.” 

Camp Able is currently in need of more volunteers to assist with providing campers with unique experiences. Those interested in volunteering can learn more at Camp Able Volunteer Opportunities.

Find more information on supporting or registering for Camp Able on their website at campableatcoronado.org.