Nestled in the back roads of Bedford, not too far from the bustling shopping centers, lies a special oasis where small miracles are happening every day.

Camp Allen, on Camp Road in Bedford, has been serving people with disabilities since 1931. The place originated as a summer camp for blind girls, and by the 1960s and 1970s evolved into a place for children and adults with MDA physical challenges and cognitive disabilities.

“Our primary goals are for the campers to have the best time of their lives, and also safety,” said Mary Constance, executive director at Camp Allen. “We are known throughout New England as a place that will welcome people with all challenges.”

On Aug. 6, Camp Allen, along with 30,000 eligible charities, was nominated by Chase customers and employees to participate in the fifth installment of the Chase Community Giving program, which will kick off voting Sept. 6. When voting ends Sept. 19, 196 local charities will share $5 million in grants from Chase. Eligible, nominated charities that accept their nomination by Aug. 30 will equally share in $2.5 million in additional grants.

“Oh my gosh, we would use that money to build a winterized cabin,” Constance said. “I would also talk to our board about building a house for our campers who we love dearly and do not have a place to stay year-round.”

Camp Allen is a residential and day camp that welcomes about 600 campers each summer. About 65 residential campers stay in the nine different summer cabins at a time, and about 25 campers make up the day camp.

“There’s Sandy Pond at the bottom of the hill for summer boating and fishing, and wetland trails for catching frogs, toads and sea turtles,” Constance said. “We also have field space for sports, a swimming pool, logging trails through the woods, tenting sites on the pond, arts and crafts, music and dance, and a chapel.”

All campers are promised a 1-to-2 counselor-to-camper ratio, with a 1-to-1 ratio available for campers who require extensive attention.

“Our counselors go through over 40 hours of CPR and first aid training, and education disabilities,” Constance said. “They learn how to lift and change campers and how to use the gastro tube to feed those who cannot feed themselves.”

Constance said some of the activities at Camp Allen involve learning about different cultures. Counselors arrive from all over the world, from places such as Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Bolivia and Mexico.

“Each of the cabins gets to pick a country where one of our counselors is from, and for that day, the arts, crafts and food centers around that culture,” Constance said.

One of the most touching stories from this summer came from a camper who had not been able to consistently swim, or even shower, for 25 years.

“She came from a safe house, where there was limited accessibility for people with disabilities,” Constance said. “She had a special bedlike wheelchair and our counselors were able to lift her into the pool and the shower. As a group, we took the campers to Hampton Beach for the day, and the counselors were even able to lift her into the ocean.”

All the counselors are equipped with emergency cellphones, and the numbers are given out to the parents to ensure 24-hour access to their child.

“As a parent, it’s touching to me when the parents drop off their children off at camp for the first time,” Constance said. “I know they want their children to be safe, and that’s why we report every trip, fall, scrape or even sneeze. We also have a health center located on the grounds.”

Camp Allen hosts campers from the middle of May until the end of August. From September to October, campers who struggle with socializing and need another year of preparation before entering college occupy the camp and help maintain the grounds.

“The campers absolutely love this place,” Constance said. “It’s a place where they can be themselves. They don’t have to work on goals; they are free to just have a good time.”

Voting for Camp Allen will begin Sept. 6 and last through Sept. 19. Facebook users will be able to cast their votes at www.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving. Chase customers also will be able to vote at www.chase.com/chasegiving.

Katelyn Dobbs can be reached at 594-6549 or kdobbs@nashuatelegraph.com.