From Tim McElravy- Manager of the Lake Wenatchee YMCA Camp:
Each year the Wenatchee Valley YMCA goes out into our Community to raise money for our annual Partners with Youth Campaign. 100% of the proceeds raised goes into the Youth Scholarship Fund. No child is ever denied participation at the YMCA because of inability to pay. Financial assistance is available to residents of Chelan and Douglas Counties for both youth memberships and youth programs. This financial assistance is made possible through the Wenatchee Valley YMCA Partners with Youth Campaign and designated contributions. Donations can be sent to our Partners with youth Campaign, c/o Lake Wenatchee YMCA Camp, 15263 Northshore Drive, Leavenworth, WA 98826
Last year over 6000 scholarships were given to help kids gain access to YMCA programs like swim lessons, youth memberships, the after school program, Adventure Club, T- wave and Camp. At camp alone over $50,000 dollars of scholarships were given to kids that otherwise could not afford it. I personally heard from many families who were faced with paying the bills or sending their kids to camp. Because of the generosity of our donors, attending camp was made possible for hundreds of local kids.
One such camper who benefited from the generosity of so many was a young girl who for the protection of her privacy we’ll call Sarah. Sarah has been coming to camp since she was 8 or 9 years old. Over the past several years she had been sponsored to come to camp by another local family. This last year I saw Sarah at camp sign up day. I was excited to see her, gave her a big hug and asked if she was ready to be an LDP this year. Tears filled up in her eyes and she quietly shook her head no. I could tell she was upset but that she was not comfortable talking at this time. I made a note to contact her later to inquire what was going on. A few days later I was able to speak with the family that normally sponsored her to go to camp. They explained that they were expecting a baby and funds would be tight and thus were unable to send Sarah to camp this summer. Fast forward to May 2009. I was given the charge to call campers and find out if they needed scholarship money to go to camp. The 1st call I placed was to Sarah. When she answered the phone she sounded excited to hear from me, and I asked her about coming to camp saying I had 1 spot open in the LDP program. Her voice turned soft and she explained that this year she could not come to camp as her family could not afford it. I asked her if she wanted to come to camp and if I could make that possible could she do it. She said yes. I then explained to her that thanks to the Partners with Youth Campaign we were in a position to help her get to camp. I told her if she could get up here the YMCA could pay for it 100%. After pulling the phone away from my ear because she was hysterically screaming for joy on the other end, I told her the details of how to get registered and what she needed to do. On the phone I could tell she began to cry. She explained that all year she looks forward to coming to camp and this year she was heartbroken that she could not attend. The money donated that helped her get to camp made her whole year.
In speaking with the family that normally sends her to camp they shared with me that the YMCA and Y-Camp most likely saved her life. Sarah has made it known that she wants to become a counselor at camp when she is old enough and wants to make camp as special to others as it was made for her. Seeing her at camp this summer brought a smile to my face.
Will you consider a gift to the YMCA’s youth Scholarship fund this year?
Tim McElravy
Camping Services Director
Wenatchee Valley YMCA
Camp office: (509) 763.9622
Fax: (509) 763.5200
tmcelravy@lwycamp.org
www.lwycamp.org
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