If you're here for another card, you'll be disappointed; if you love "helping others", you might enjoy this... (See the three points of the crown? A counselor holding onto two kids!)
Royal Family Kids' Camp (RFKC) - started over 30 years ago in California, as the need for support in the foster system grew. This program has now gone around the world!
RFKC - taking the abused and neglected, often overlooked population who are a part of our future generation, to a camp designed specifically for them. Children who have high needs, who are not usually allowed to go to school camps, or even church camps, are given a chance to have fun in a "safe" environment, with only "safe" people, so that they might experience things that sometimes they would never get to otherwise.
They get to experience swimming, paddleboating, fishing, rockwall climbing, hiking, Coach Time, activities that are just for them. Woodworking kits, craft kits, art that are all geared for success, no matter how little their experience. Sports and activities are selected to make everyone a winner, and no child is "the last one picked" and a mail center so that everyone can get "happy mail"! We also have a Birthday Party for everyone (some of these kiddos have NEVER had a Birthday party! A party with Bouncy houses, arcade-type games, pizza for dinner, presents, cake and ice cream. We're all about treating these kids like royalty, and making sure they know THEY matter!
The ratio is one counselor with two kids; two "buddy" counselors and four kids doing projects and fun together, for the safety of the kids. Camp is very structured because most of the kids come out of chaos. Our ratio of staff to kids is more 1.3:1. We have nurses and social workers there for the health of our kids. Three square meals a day, plus snacks. Every volunteer is trained, fingerprinted, record-checked, and interviewed to make sure we get the right "safe" people. Everyone has a job, or 10, if need be. We are all volunteers, no one gets paid to do a single things throughout the year, or during camp in support of this great program! Many use their vacations to go to camp; some don't have paid vacations.
This written description, is not to pump up my pride or get a pat on the back, but to show you why I'll be MIA, and hopefully to understand a little bit about me. It isn't about me, or us, it's about the kids! As I sit here writing this, tears are truly streaming down my face. This camp is our passion! Hubbs, my eldest daughter and I have gone for 11 years now, only missing one year each, since it's existed here. Our other two daughters have gone and worked, but life has taken them in different directions, but maybe again some day. If you're a praying person, keep us in your prayers -- for success of another great camp, for the safety of the 64 children we take, and that another life (but preferably lives) are touched.
Thank you, if you lasted until the end! Have a great week! See you in a few days...
TK
