Spellers Series:

“Spelling Adventures and Advocacy” with Kelly and Pamela Schlenz

Hey guys, we’re excited you’re joining us for this episode! Today we begin our Spellers Series, highlighting this incredible form of communication. You won’t want to miss this informative and heartwarming series this month!

Kelly Schlenz is the Executive Director of Idyllwild Pines, a retreat and camp center nestled in the San Jacinto Mountains of Southern California. Along with his wife, Pamela, Kelly has dedicated his life to creating spaces where individuals and families can connect, grow, and find hope.

Inspired by their daughter, Naiya, who communicates through spelling, the Schlenz family has become passionate advocates for the spelling community. At Idyllwild Pines, Kelly and Pamela host specialized camps for spellers and their families, offering opportunities for connection, inclusion, and empowerment in a beautiful, supportive environment. Their leadership reflects their deep faith, family values, and commitment to building a world where every voice can be heard and celebrated.

Bio:

Kelly serves as the Executive Director at Idyllwild Pines Camp and Conference Center, where he brings leadership, vision, and a heart for community. He sees camp ministry as a powerful way to share the hope of Christ, build meaningful relationships, and create space for spiritual growth in the lives of others. Pamela is a devoted homeschool mom of three, passionate about nurturing both faith and education at home. Inspired by their own journey with their 15-year-old minimally speaking daughter, Kelly and Pamela partnered with Autistically Inclined to create Spellers Family Camps—transformative retreats designed to support and empower families of nonspeaking, minimally speaking, and unreliably speaking individuals by providing connection, community, and practical support with multimodal communication. Their mission is rooted in faith, compassion, inclusion and lived experience. When they're not hosting camps or homeschooling, you can find them enjoying mountain life with their three kids, two dogs and tending to their flock of 17 chickens.

www.idyllwildpines.org

autisticallyinclined.com

Instagram:

@adventureswithnaiyagrace

@Idyllwildpines

For a family raising a child with special needs, life can be difficult. There are many storms to weather and struggles to address, and we often feel isolated and alone due to the nature of our circumstances. Families have a need to connect and find resources, a need to be encouraged, and a need for hope as we walk down what can be a very hard road at times. Hope on the Hard Road Special Needs Podcast was created for this purpose. Our vision is to grow a thriving community, where families with children of all ages with special needs can feel connected, be encouraged, and find hope for the road ahead.

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Hope on the Hard Road, Inc. This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional, medical, or legal advice.