dare to care is a year round residential outdoor recreation and educational facility for children and adults with special needs. The Camp, a 501 (c) 3 organization, is located on 90 acres in Bedford, Virginia. Originally sponsored jointly by The Virginia Jaycees and the Virginia Association for Retarded Children, the Camp now functions as a separate non-profit corporation.

The idea of establishing a camp for children with special needs first originated in 1969 when a young Jaycee from Roanoke, Bill Robertson, saw the need and convinced The Virginia Jaycees they should sell apple jelly to build a camp. Since that time, the Jaycees of Virginia have raised funds for land acquisition, buildings, renovations, and camperships. Today many other organizations and individuals partner with Camp Virginia Jaycee to bring services to people with special needs.

Children and adults with special needs can be helped physically, mentally, and emotionally by an outdoor education and recreation experience. Yet the National Association for Retarded Children has pointed out that only a small percentage of the citizens with these disabilities have actually been involved in existing tax supported public recreational facilities and programs. Camp Virginia Jaycee brings these special people an experience that may enable them to assume a more normal life.