HOPKINSVILLE KIDS
NEED HELP GETTING TO SUMMER CAMP
Salvation Army Looking for
"Angels" to Sponsor Local Children
[Hopkinsville, KY 4/17/12] -
Hiking in the woods, making crafts, singing songs by the campfire, --
some of our fondest childhood memories come from summer camp.
For
the neediest children in Hopkinsville,
these simple joys seem unattainable. These at-risk kids will spend their summer
wandering the mean streets or hanging out with other idle kids… a recipe for
trouble!
But The Salvation
Army can help struggling local families avoid this 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 Hopkinsville Salvation Army Lt. David Costellow. "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."
Corps Officer
Costellow reports that last summer
the citizens of Hopkinsville gave this precious gift to twenty local children,
some of whom had never in their lives experienced being in a safe, loving
environment 24 hours a day. Through these donations, underprivileged
Hopkinsville kids got to go to a weeklong camp
where they played sports, swam, explored the outdoors and made crafts. And beyond the recreation, with the help of
trained counselors they learned how to live together with a diverse group of
neighbors, dealing with the troubling issues and concerns that challenge them
in their daily lives.
"We are so grateful to our friends who
sponsored these children," he says. "What a difference their
generosity made in these children's lives. The kids got to interact with caring
adults who listened to them and showed them love
and concern. Our campers not only
enjoyed nutritious meals and explored the great outdoors, they learned important
new life-skills, like anger management and conflict resolution, that will stand
them in good stead for their future.”
Lt. Costellow is currently seeking sponsorship for twenty children
for summer camp 2012. "School will be ending soon," he 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."
About The Salvation Army:
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church
established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without
discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans
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 carry out those services in
5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.