In June 2024, we will celebrate the 22nd Anniversary of the award- winning, nationally recognized Eric ‘RicStar’ Winter Music Therapy Camp, aka RicStar’s Camp. The purpose of RicStar’s Camp is to provide opportunities for musical expression enjoyment and interaction for people of all ages and abilities, while improving the lives of those with differing abilities through the emotional, physical, cognitive, and social benefits of Music Therapy.

RicStar’s Camp honors my son, Eric Richard Winter, who had a gift for music and cerebral palsy. Under the skill and heart of the Community Music School Music Therapy Clinical Services Program, part of the College of Music at Michigan State University, Eric began writing music shortly before he passed away unexpectedly in 2003 at age 12.

Because music added so much to Eric’s life, our family directed all memorial gifts go to the Community Music School to begin a yearly summer music camp, of which I am co-founder. The Eric ‘RicStar’ Winter Music Camp has served nearly 2,000 campers, and impacted hundreds of families, friends and volunteers.

No one is every turned away from this ground-breaking and inclusive summer camp due to age, disability, or financial need. Siblings are also welcome.

Eric’s life, legacy and music live on in beautiful ways.

In 2019, I was honored as a L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth Honoree because of my volunteer work with RicStar’s Camp. Watch that video here. Judy Winter – L’Oréal Paris