For her, all activities are favorites

As the longtime camp manager at Camp Max Straus, Dinah Weldon has watched for years as underprivileged children from sometimes troubled homes blossomed in the freedom of the Verdugo foothills.

“One of the questions I like to ask the kids is what they do with their free time at home. They’ll say, ‘Oh, there’s this little strip of grass in front of my apartment.’ ” Or they’ll tell Weldon they’re afraid of drug dealers on their street, or that they normally spend all day watching television. “You hear it often enough that you just say, ‘Oh, you need camp.’ ”

TV and drug dealers won’t be found at Camp Max Straus -- operating since 1938 in Glendale by Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters -- where kids’ days are filled with hourlong activities such as swimming, horseback riding and archery.

Ten-year-old Savannah, from Canyon Country, east of Santa Clarita, says she enjoys all the activities camp has to offer.

“I don’t have any favorites. It’s too hard; I like everything,” Savannah says. She has even mastered making the most of the short breaks after lunch or before lights-out, when she loves to put on fashion shows in her cabin. She likes to emcee while the other girls strut their stuff -- usually pajamas -- on an improvised runway.

“She’s very energetic,” says camp counselor Gaby Hernandez. “She loves to talk. And she helps out the other girls when they’re scared -- encouraging them when they’re swimming or on the diving board.”

At a recent lunchtime in the dining hall, it’s Savannah’s turn to be the “walker,” the camper who brings trays of food from the kitchen to the table, where meals are served family-style.

She brings a large plate of grilled cheese sandwiches and a big bowl of tomato soup. “I love cheese!” she cries. She leaves a huge pile of crusts on her plate after eating the cheesy middle of three sandwiches.

At “ranch,” an activity in which campers learn about farm animals and domestic science, the kids make ersatz ice cream from milk and sugar. They pour the ingredients into a small Ziploc bag, which goes inside a larger bag filled with ice and rock salt. After tossing the bag for 10 minutes, the girls have something resembling ice cream.

As “Born to Be Wild” plays on the radio, Savannah tosses her bag of ice into the air.

“What are you going to do if that bursts right over your head?” Weldon asks her, laughing.

“Mmmm,” says Savannah, licking the air around her face.

Soon she’s gulping down her icy treat and dancing again, this time to “Twist and Shout.”

About 10,000 underprivileged kids will go to camp this summer, thanks to $1.6 million raised last year.

The annual fundraising campaign is part of the Los Angeles Times Family Fund of the McCormick Tribune Foundation, which this year will match the first $1.1 million in contributions at 50 cents on the dollar.

Donations are tax-deductible. For more information, call (213) 237-5771. To make donations by credit card, go to latimes.com/summercamp.

To send checks, use the attached coupon. Do not send cash.

Unless requested otherwise, gifts of $50 or more will be acknowledged in The Times.