Campfires, tents, hikes and a unicycle or two

Valen Hollis has never been to summer camp before, so the 9-year-old plans to arrive at YMCA Camp Edwards fully prepared.

“I just went shopping and I got some jeans, sweaters, skirts, shirts, new shoes and a swimsuit with stripes and green straps on it,” she says proudly.

Her wardrobe complete, Valen will certainly be ready to spend five nights with 95 other campers ages 7 to 11 at YMCA Camp Edwards, which is in Barton Flats.

Mountain biking and a zip line are just two of the activities at Edwards, which even touts circus activities like juggling and unicycling.

“The teeter-totter is one of the favorites,” says camp director Loren “Big Red” Werner. “Someone stands on one side and launches another kid off the board 5 feet in the air, but they land on a cushy pad so no one gets hurt.”

Creative fun like this isn’t a rarity at Edwards. Mealtime often has themes, such as the “monk” lunch, when there’s no talking, or the “lumberjack” lunch, when no utensils are allowed.

“Camp is just a chance for these kids to get out of their environment, no matter what it is,” Werner says of the camp’s diverse population, which includes both affluent and low-income kids.

“They’re getting the opportunity to do activities they wouldn’t normally get to do in a supportive place, which is open to whomever they are.”

“I think they’ll have some animals and big trees, and we’re gonna sleep in a tent. Maybe we’ll put food in our campfire too,” Valen guesses about her upcoming trip.

“I want to learn how to cook, maybe, like, chicken or something,” the fourth-grader says with a laugh. “I haven’t been hiking often. I think I can handle a big mountain. I mean, if I fall, the counselors are gonna catch me, right?”

Counselors with nicknames -- such as Werner’s, “Big Red,” which refers to his stature and long red hair -- are always on hand to supervise the kids while reinforcing lessons children are able to take home with them.

“Parents will call me and say, ‘I don’t know what you did to my kid, but you need to keep doing it,’ ” Werner laughs about the responses he’s received from parents after their campers’ arrival back home. “You know, they offer to help pick up the table or clean their room without being asked, or they feel more comfortable in social situations. We help them to change up their daily routine.”

The Redlands Family YMCA is one of 60 organizations receiving financial support this year through the Los Angeles Times Summer Camp Campaign. More than 8,000 underprivileged children will go to camp this summer, thanks to $1.5 million raised last year. The annual fund-raising 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.

amy.kaufman@latimes.com