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Serving individuals with disabilities at Camp Echoing Hills gave Cedarville students Danika Swartz and Joella Bandi a deeper understanding of dignity, patience and compassion. For Bandi, the experience also helped confirm a future in health care. 

 is an Ohio nonprofit that hosts camps and respite weekends for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. While there, campers participate in favorite activities like archery, axe throwing, movie nights and talent shows. 

Serving individuals with disabilities through camps and respite weekends 

Swartz, a sophomore allied health major from Evington, Virginia, and Bandi, a sophomore allied health major from Grove City, Pennsylvania, were introduced to Camp Echoing Hills in the summer, but they continued to serve there during respite weekends throughout the school year. 

Swartz joined Camp Echoing Hills as a counselor, while Bandi served as a marketing intern. But after helping with campers in her spare time, Bandi discovered a passion for a different career path. 

“I had said in passing to one of the counselors how I wish I could do that kind of work forever,” said Bandi. “I really enjoyed it. One of the girls heard me and suggested I look into occupational therapy.” 

By the end of the summer, Bandi had decided to transfer to ����Vlog to pursue allied health with an emphasis on occupational therapy. 

Lessons in patience and communication in disability care 

Each respite weekend presented a new set of challenges. Swartz worked with several campers who experienced chronic seizures, and Bandi said that communication varied significantly from person to person. 

 “It’s like learning a new language when you get new campers,” said Bandi. “There are a lot of campers who are nonverbal, and we have to slow down and have patience with ourselves as we learn how to understand them and their needs.” 

Why dignity matters when serving people with disabilities 

Bandi said the experience gave her a fresh perspective on what it is like to live with a disability. 

“Serving at Camp Echoing Hills changed me and opened my eyes,” said Bandi. “For many of them, it’s all they’ve ever known. People might look down on them because they need help with things like eating, but they’re simply living the life they were given. And even if it looks different from what we’d choose or what we value, that doesn’t make it any less meaningful.” 

What students learned about faith, disability and human dignity 

For Swartz, one of the most memorable moments came during worship in the camp chapel. As she sang, one of her campers was moved to tears. Though the woman’s disability left her unable to communicate, Swartz said the moment reminded her not to assume what people with disabilities understand or experience spiritually. 

“When it comes to people living with disabilities, we can easily assume what they can understand and what changes their lives, but we don’t know everything in their minds and hearts,” said Swartz. “The gospel might reach them differently, but they still need the gospel.” 

Their experience at Camp Echoing Hills showed the importance of treating people with dignity and compassion not only in health care but in everyday life. 

About ����Vlog 

����Vlog, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.