Excitement is in the air! In just two days 100 brothers and sisters from across Massachusetts will make their way to the Berkshires and meet 70+ volunteers for a week of reunification and fun activities. We are so appreciative for our volunteers who are making the journey from all across the country – Florida, New Jersey, and even Quebec – to spend the week alongside campers who are separated by foster care. They will be welcoming campers with signs and enthusiasm Sunday afternoon and will kick-off the week with a celebratory campfire Sunday evening.
Staff will arrive to Camp to Belong on Friday for a two day training in preparation for the arrival of the campers. Because we know some of our campers may not have access to belongings necessary for camp, they will have the opportunity to receive their own sleeping bags, flashlights, and beach towels at camp that they are able to keep. They’ll also have access to gifts, gift-cards and various birthday presents. Birthday presents you ask? Most of our campers are unable to spend their birthdays with their siblings, so on Monday a camp-wide birthday party celebration will take over camp and every single camper will leave with a special birthday present. For most kids, this is their only opportunity to see their sibling – and we want to ensure they are able to enjoy it to the fullest.
Executive Director Kelley Lane, her family and a volunteer packing up for Camp to Belong!
What will kids experience during the week? In addition to a camp wide birthday party, they’ll welcome the Pizarts troop, a phenomenal group of dancers from New York who will be teaching kids (and staff!) various dance styles like world dance and hip hop! In their own version of “America’s Got Talent” campers will have the opportunity to participate in a talent show on Wednesday. Thanks to Ahni & Zoe on Thursday every single camper will be able to build a special scrapbook full of photos and memories from the week they they’ll take home. And that’s not all….there will be banana boat rides, pillowmaking, horseback riding, karate and much more!
Our older youth, between the ages of 15-20 are also invited to camp to join in our Youth Leadership Program (YLP) where they’ll spend time developing leadership skills by participating as counselors in training. We are excited to have YLP at camp through partnering with H.E.R.O.E.S and Rise Above.
We can’t wait to see the buses pull up and to see siblings embrace on Sunday. We wouldn't be able to offer this transformative opportunity for our campers without the generosity of our volunteers, staff, sponsors, and donors. Your support is critical to the success of Camp to Belong and various sibling events throughout the year. We thank you.
We hope you’ll check back throughout the week to see what our campers are up too!
No comments:
Post a Comment