Camp Discovery
Woodland Christian Camp & Retreat Center - Heritage Camp, 90 Woodland Camp Rd, Temple, GA 30179
About
Camp Discovery is a free weekend respite camp where campers take part in swimming, fishing, arts and crafts, games, camp songs with s’mores, and a high ropes challenge course that includes activities such as a Zip Line and Giant Swing. This overnight residential program includes traditional camp activities led by certified professionals and trained volunteers, with each camper paired with a Big Buddy adult volunteer and always in the presence of at least two adults.
• Ages: 13–18 years old
• Schedule: June 5–7, 2026, as a free weekend respite camp
• Price: Camp Discovery is a free weekend respite camp for children with intellectual disabilities, with no cost to the attending families or youth.
Camp Discovery is hosted by Woodland Christian Camp & Retreat Center and is open to children age 13–25 who have intellectual disabilities, including medical diagnoses such as down syndrome, cerebral palsy, chromosomal abnormalities, and Traumatic Brain Injuries. Campers may also have speech, visual, or hearing impairments, physical limitations, and cognitive delays, and many need help with critical thinking, reasoning, behavior management, and everyday life skills. Campers stay in cabins with their Big Buddy and other campers and Big Buddies in their group, and boys and girls bunk in separate Heritage Cabins equipped with bunk-style beds, HVAC, and interior bathrooms.
Campers with food allergies or special dietary needs can bring their own food or items to supplement the camp menu, and guests with strict dietary requirements have access to a refrigerator, freezer, and microwave in the dining room, with all food stored in a labeled bag or container. Volunteer staff are available for assistance, a packing list is included with the camper acceptance packet, and the camp will try to provide sleeping bags, pillows, and toiletries if arrangements are made in advance. Parents or guardians are asked to provide transportation, and travel assistance may be available based on need.
Camp Discovery is led by certified professionals and trained volunteers, with certified and specially trained volunteers supervising all recreational and programming activities and a medical team on site for the duration of the program. All volunteers are thoroughly screened, must complete background checks, and attend mandatory training, and each camper is under constant supervision. Amanda “Mandy” T. Anderson and Ashley Sutton serve as Co-Directors for Camp Discovery.
Amanda “Mandy” T. Anderson has a B.S. Ed in Mental Retardation from the University of West Georgia and holds Georgia certifications in Early Childhood Education (P–5), Special Education Adapted Curriculum (P–12), Special Education Deaf Education (P–12), Special Education General Curriculum (P–12), Special Education Learning Disabilities (P–12), and Special Education Cognitive Levels (P–5) in Reading, Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. She is completing her 17th year of teaching, has worked with all grade levels, and has taught students with Autism, intellectual disabilities, emotional and behavior disabilities, learning disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injuries, and students who are deaf or hard of hearing, and she currently works as the Instructional Coordinator for Special Education at Carrollton High School and as the Deaf/Hard of Hearing teacher for Carrollton City Schools. Ashley Sutton spent five years as a camp counselor at Camp ASCCA (Alabama Special Camp for Children and Adults), earned a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education from the University of West Georgia, began working at Carrollton High School in 2015 as a Teacher and Community Based Instructor, received certification in 2017 as a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments, and completed a Master’s Degree in Special Education Adapted Curriculum from Georgia Southern University in 2018.
Woodland Christian Camp, the host organization for Camp Discovery, was established in 1969 and has a long history of establishing programs that impact youth and assist families in the community. Camp Discovery’s ability to operate is based on donations from individuals, camper families, corporations, grants, and civic organizations. Mandy Anderson has described her years at Woodland as “some of the best times of my life,” and Ashley Sutton has stated that she is “overjoyed to be part of this camp experience” and that Camp Discovery “is going to be a wonderful therapeutic recreation experience for students in the West Georgia area” and that she is “so excited to enjoy the magic of camp again.”
Last updated July 31, 2026.
• Ages: 13–18 years old
• Schedule: June 5–7, 2026, as a free weekend respite camp
• Price: Camp Discovery is a free weekend respite camp for children with intellectual disabilities, with no cost to the attending families or youth.
Camp Discovery is hosted by Woodland Christian Camp & Retreat Center and is open to children age 13–25 who have intellectual disabilities, including medical diagnoses such as down syndrome, cerebral palsy, chromosomal abnormalities, and Traumatic Brain Injuries. Campers may also have speech, visual, or hearing impairments, physical limitations, and cognitive delays, and many need help with critical thinking, reasoning, behavior management, and everyday life skills. Campers stay in cabins with their Big Buddy and other campers and Big Buddies in their group, and boys and girls bunk in separate Heritage Cabins equipped with bunk-style beds, HVAC, and interior bathrooms.
Campers with food allergies or special dietary needs can bring their own food or items to supplement the camp menu, and guests with strict dietary requirements have access to a refrigerator, freezer, and microwave in the dining room, with all food stored in a labeled bag or container. Volunteer staff are available for assistance, a packing list is included with the camper acceptance packet, and the camp will try to provide sleeping bags, pillows, and toiletries if arrangements are made in advance. Parents or guardians are asked to provide transportation, and travel assistance may be available based on need.
Camp Discovery is led by certified professionals and trained volunteers, with certified and specially trained volunteers supervising all recreational and programming activities and a medical team on site for the duration of the program. All volunteers are thoroughly screened, must complete background checks, and attend mandatory training, and each camper is under constant supervision. Amanda “Mandy” T. Anderson and Ashley Sutton serve as Co-Directors for Camp Discovery.
Amanda “Mandy” T. Anderson has a B.S. Ed in Mental Retardation from the University of West Georgia and holds Georgia certifications in Early Childhood Education (P–5), Special Education Adapted Curriculum (P–12), Special Education Deaf Education (P–12), Special Education General Curriculum (P–12), Special Education Learning Disabilities (P–12), and Special Education Cognitive Levels (P–5) in Reading, Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. She is completing her 17th year of teaching, has worked with all grade levels, and has taught students with Autism, intellectual disabilities, emotional and behavior disabilities, learning disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injuries, and students who are deaf or hard of hearing, and she currently works as the Instructional Coordinator for Special Education at Carrollton High School and as the Deaf/Hard of Hearing teacher for Carrollton City Schools. Ashley Sutton spent five years as a camp counselor at Camp ASCCA (Alabama Special Camp for Children and Adults), earned a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education from the University of West Georgia, began working at Carrollton High School in 2015 as a Teacher and Community Based Instructor, received certification in 2017 as a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments, and completed a Master’s Degree in Special Education Adapted Curriculum from Georgia Southern University in 2018.
Woodland Christian Camp, the host organization for Camp Discovery, was established in 1969 and has a long history of establishing programs that impact youth and assist families in the community. Camp Discovery’s ability to operate is based on donations from individuals, camper families, corporations, grants, and civic organizations. Mandy Anderson has described her years at Woodland as “some of the best times of my life,” and Ashley Sutton has stated that she is “overjoyed to be part of this camp experience” and that Camp Discovery “is going to be a wonderful therapeutic recreation experience for students in the West Georgia area” and that she is “so excited to enjoy the magic of camp again.”
Last updated July 31, 2026.
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