Fallsnewspress.com - Falls church offers camp for abused, neglected children

Special to Record Publishing Co. Volunteers from the Summit County Royal Family Kids’ Camp spent one week in July helping children who had been victims of abuse and neglect create positive memories.

by Pamela Engel

Reporter

Cuyahoga Falls -- A local church has found a cause that represents "mission in the purest sense" -- helping abused children create positive memories at a free, weeklong camp that lets kids be kids, the program's director said.

Royal Family Kids' Camps is a national nonprofit organization that enables churches to operate a weeklong, overnight summer camp for children ages 7 to 11 who have been subject to abuse and neglect. Northampton United Methodist Church at 852 West Bath Road in Cuyahoga Falls has sponsored a camp for seven years.

"Kids are really a big deal at Northampton. It sort of became a passion and an obsession for us," said Cindy Patterson, the director of Northampton's Royal Family Kids' Camp.

At the camp, which took place from July 5 - 9, children participated in games, sports, hiking, swimming, fishing, horseback riding, crafts and other activities.

Campers are selected primarily through Children's Services and Child Guidance, both of Summit County. The program will continue next summer, Patterson said.

To sponsor a camp, the Northampton United Methodist Church sent eight volunteers to a national training program in 2003 and then trained additional volunteers locally for the camp's first year in 2004.

Volunteers do not have to be members of the congregation, but most are, Patterson said. All volunteers must also complete a training program and agree to a background check.

About 95 full-time and 55 part-time volunteers ran the camp this year, and 78 children from Summit and surrounding counties attended. Each year, the church raises about $50,000 through grants, donations and fundraising to run the camp.

"It's one of those things that when you go into it, there is no logical reason to do it," Patterson said. "It's expensive, it's a lot of work. But people return year after year. ... Many of [the volunteers] are adults with their own children who give up a week to be there."

Cheryl Hoover, a member of Northampton Church and a seven-year volunteer at the camp, said the experience has "opened her eyes" to how many children in the area have suffered abuse and neglect, and how it affects them.

"I have learned firsthand just how meaningful this experience is, to give [the campers] a chance to be a kid for a week and forget about the difficulties in their lives," she said. "The whole idea of Royal Family is to give kids a week of royal treatment. The attitude throughout the week is praise and encouragement and cheering kids on."

Patterson also noted the chance to make a difference in childrens' lives.

"You realize ... it makes a difference. It just seems to be mission in the purest sense because there's really no church benefit for it. It changes us, it's changed how we look at the world and how we do all of our ministry," she said.

Those interested in volunteering or donating can contact Cindy Patterson at 330-929-0015 or at cindy@numchurch.org.

E-mail: pengel@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088, ext. 3145