Donations Down for Summer Camp Fund

Dwindling donations to the Salvation Army’s summer camp fund, attributed to the many disasters that have ravaged California, are endangering the opportunities for underprivileged youths to participate in a six-day outing in Malibu Canyon.

“We are down 29% from last year, in terms of sponsorship,” said Beverly Ventriss, director of communications for the Salvation Army.

For the last 40 years, the Salvation Army has sponsored Mt. Crags and Gilmore camps, geared toward giving about 2,500 underprivileged youths ages 7 to 16 a few days of camping experience--playing sports, studying nature and participating in arts classes.

The actual expense of sending one child to camp is $150, but donations and grants reduces that amount to about $30.

“We feel sensitive to the fact that people have been asked to give so much recently,” said Ventriss. “We want to encourage the public to extend the hand of generosity one more time to our needy youth.”

Ventriss said the Malibu Canyon camps, which will continue through the end of August, often mark the first time these children experience life in the country-side.