About GVRC
Genesee Valley Rotary Camp ( GVRC), is a one week summer camp for young people (ages 8 - 21) with various disabilities. GVRC is a not-for-profit organization that became incorporated in 1963 and has served children and young adults from four surrounding counties (Livingston, Steuben, Wyoming, and Allegany) ever since.
The camp experience is provided free of cost through the efforts and financial support of the Rotary Clubs of the Genesee Valley and through private donations.
The camp runs every summer during August and is located in the beautifully rustic setting of Camp Sam Wood, in Pike, NY. GVRC services approximately 100 campers and employs about 60 staff members each summer.
GVRC currently serves the following Western New York towns: Dansville, Wayland, Geneseo, Avon, Perry, Mt. Morris, Livonia, Lima, Fillmore, Pavilion, Nunda, Belmont, Caledonia - Mumford, Cuba, Friendship, and Wellsville.
Our staff comes from a diverse background— from special education teachers to high school and college students interested in working with children with disabilities. The current Directors are Brian Bartalo from Brockport, NY, and Co-Director, Mark VanDurme, from Dansville, NY. Send the directors an email.
The safety, health and well being of the campers at GVRC is our foremost concern. Our Health Director is a full-time Registered Nurse (RN). She is on site 24/7 during camp to provide medical care for the campers and staff.
A local pediatrician meets with every child at the start of camp and is available during the week. Wyoming County Community Hospital is a short distance away.
There are handicap accessible trails from tent sites to the bathrooms, swimming pool, recreation and dining areas. Special dietary needs are accommodated by our kitchen staff.
Download Printable Brochure (pdf)
Director's Bio
The Camp Director for GVRC is Brian Bartalo. At camp he is known as “Mr. Bart”. Bart has been associated with GVRC since 1981. His father, Don Bartalo, was then a Rotarian on the board of directors and he sent young Brian to camp to work that August and he hasn’t missed a summer since. Mr. Bart has held many positions at GVRC including: counselor, lifeguard, specialist, assistant director, and camp director.
2005 marks Bart’s 25th anniversary at camp and that he says is one of his life’s greatest accomplishments. Bartalo says, “GVRC has defined who I am, it is in my blood and is an extension of my family. I can’t imagine my life without camp each summer.”
In the camping “off-season” Bart lives in Brockport, NY with his wife Marcia and their two sons; Jakob and Nathaniel. Marcia is a veteran of GVRC and is currently the kitchen director for the camp. The two met as counselors at GVRC in the summer of 1984 and have been together ever since. Bart is a former special education teacher and varsity swim coach and is now the principal of Hilton High School in Hilton, NY.