PALM BEACH COUNTY KIDS NEED HELP GETTING TO SUMMER CAMP
Salvation Army Looking for “Angels” to Sponsor Local Children
West Palm Beach, FL (6 May 2011) – Hiking in the woods, learning how to weave a lanyard, singing songs by the campfire — some of our fondest childhood memories come from summer camp.
For the neediest children in Palm Beach County, these simple joys seem unattainable. These at-risk kids will spend their summer wandering the mean streets or hanging out with other idle kids — many of them bad influences… a recipe for trouble.
But The Salvation Army can help struggling local families avoid such an outcome for their children. Last year in the United States, thousands of children attended some 48 Salvation Army residential camps. “It’s an experience not to be missed,” observes Palm Beach County Area Commander Major Thomas McWilliams. “Time spent at camp can be a life-changing experience for kids. It can instill feelings of self-worth, open up the world and offer hope for the future.”
Area Commander, Major McWilliams reports that last summer the citizens of Palm Beach County gave this precious gift of overnight camp to 120 local children some of whom had never in their lives experienced the wonders of nature. In addition to overnight camp, The Salvation Army provides three day camps in Palm Beach County to nearly 1,788 more local children. Through donations, underprivileged kids get to go to camps where they play sports, swim, explore the outdoors and make crafts in additional to summer day camps. And beyond the recreation, with the help of trained counselors they learned how to get along with a diverse group of neighbors, dealing with the troubling issues and concerns that challenge them in their daily lives.
-more-
“We are so grateful to our friends who sponsor these children,” he says. “What a difference their generosity makes in children’s lives. The kids not only enjoy nutritious meals and explore the great outdoors, they learned new life-skills and get to interact with caring adults who listen to them and show them love and concern.
The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County is currently seeking sponsorship for local children to attend summer camp in 2011. “School will be ending soon,” Major McWilliams points out. “There are lots of spots left and not enough money to fill them. I hope the community will come through for these deserving kids. For many of them, it’s the highlight of the whole year.”
Monetary donations can be contributed by visiting www.salvationarmypalmbeachcounty.org; calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY and designate “2011 Summer Camp.” Checks can be made out to:
The Salvation Army
P.O. Box 789
West Palm Beach, FL 33402
***
About The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County
The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1922, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 89 years. Over 19,000 Palm Beach County residents receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar spent is used to support those services in our local communities. For more information, go to www.salvationarmypalmbeachcounty.org.