BRAINTREE -- Ryan McLean likes to say that Malta Camp USA is "everything that the world is not."

McLean, a native of Hingham, has cerebral palsy and cannot walk long distances. Climbing steep hills and staircases is also difficult for him. Since 2017, he has attended Malta Camps, weeklong summer camps sponsored by the Order of Malta that provide outdoor adventures free of charge to young adults with disabilities. Attending the annual Malta Camps took McLean to Austria in 2017, England in 2018, and Germany in 2019.

"Everybody there respects you and respects you for who you are," he told The Pilot on Feb. 11. "No one disrespects you based on your disability."

Every Malta Camp guest has their own helper. McLean's helpers are there for him whenever he needs help getting around. In "The Real World," he said, most people don't notice that he walks differently from everyone else; if they do, they ignore him.

"The staff is called to help people like me," he said.

2022 saw the establishment of Malta Camp USA, an offshoot of the International Malta Camp. McLean has attended Malta Camp USA every year since then.

"Malta Camp for me has really allowed me to be more social," he said.

This year's camp will take place at Siena College in Loudonville, New York, from June 22 to 27. When Malta Camp USA first opened, 30 young adults attended. This year, Director Mary Delaney expects 150 campers.

"We have a tremendous demand from campers with disabilities to participate in our program, and so our biggest obstacle to growth is getting enough volunteers," Delaney told The Pilot on Feb. 10.

Delaney is an auxiliary member of the Order of Malta. Besides its knights and dames, people under the age of 40 who are not ready for the lifelong financial commitment to the Order can become auxiliary members.

"Living out my faith through service has been core to my life for as long as I can remember," Delaney said.

She learned about putting her faith in action as a student at Newton Country Day School. She worked with people with disabilities in high school but didn't give the issue much thought until she started working at Malta Camp USA. The then-new camp was looking for volunteers and Delaney thought to herself, "Why not?"

"I went to camp my first year and I just absolutely fell in love with the program and the campers," she said.

Malta Camp is focused on giving adults with disabilities experiences that they may not get in their everyday lives. The camp's past activities include whitewater rafting, trampolining, helicopter rides, and visits to attractions like the Baseball Hall of Fame. The evenings are spent with karaoke, dancing, music, and sometimes a magic show or ventriloquist. Each day starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 10 p.m. Malta Camp USA also teaches life skills, such as cooking in a fun way.

Delaney fondly remembered the time she and the campers baked pizzas together.

"A lot of our campers were really proud that they were able to make something that they were then able to eat," she said.

She sees her campers become more social, make friends, and grow as people throughout the week.

"I've seen a lot of people coming to camp a little shy and a little nervous, and really open up and come into their own," she said, adding: "Some people have met their best friends in the entire world at camp."

Ryan Burke, a counselor at Malta Camp USA since 2022, has met many friends there. Shortly before he spoke to The Pilot on Feb. 18, he received a text message from David, a Malta Camp guest he corresponds with almost every day. He also recently received a video call from Sean, a guest who has remained close with camp staff.

"Connection is really one of the most beautiful parts of Malta Camp," he said.

He became a staff member at Malta Camp USA because some of his friends who were associated with the Order of Malta kept "badgering" him to do so.

"It's been a really fun journey getting to partner with young adults, basically peers, whether they have physiological or intellectual disabilities," he said. "We'd basically be doing life together throughout the week."

Out of all the activities he has accompanied campers to, he has found that a humble game of bowling was one of the most popular, because "everyone was on an even playing field."

"It provided a good amount of action and downtime and getting to cheer for one another," he said.

Burke gets three weeks of paid vacation from work each year, and uses one of those weeks to go to Malta Camp USA.

"It's on the same level of importance as a family vacation," he said. "I couldn't imagine missing it. It's such a rewarding community to be a part of."

Since taking over as director of Malta Camp USA from Knight of Malta Christopher Carter Lee and Luisa Majnoni d'Intignano, Delaney has found that there are few resources for adults with disabilities. This has inspired her to grow Malta Camp USA as much as she can. The camp is one of the only free nationwide programs of its kind in the U.S.

"Our campers come from a variety of backgrounds, but many of them would not be able to come to camp if it was not free of charge," Delaney said.

Applications for this year's Malta Camp USA are open at maltacampusa.org. The deadline to apply is March 14.