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Aug 02, 2011

Kanuga Hosts Camp Sessions for Children Displaced by Tornadoes

More than 80 children whose homes were damaged or destroyed this spring by a series of deadly storms that ripped through the Southeast are enjoying a free summer camp session August 1-5 at Kanuga Conferences Inc.

 

The campers traveled from Tuscaloosa, Ala., Greensboro, Ala., Raleigh, N.C., and Sanford, N.C., which were among the areas ravaged by tornados in April. The children are spending the week at Camp Bob, an outreach program of Kanuga, which features traditional camp activities including hiking, swimming, rock climbing, canoeing, archery and arts and crafts.

 

“We really wanted to give as many children as possible a well-deserved break from the harsh realities of their lives in the wake of the tornadoes,” said Kanuga staff member Emily Boone, who coordinated the tornado relief initiative. “All campers were identified by local church and aid organizations as those in most need. Kanuga is relying on the help of private donors to provide this experience to campers, and Episcopal Relief and Development has joined the initiative to provide transportation.”

 

Earlier this summer, an additional 12 children from Tuscaloosa, Raleigh and Sanford attended sessions at Camp Bob and at Camp Kanuga, a traditional residential summer camp sponsored by Kanuga Conferences. With support from private donors, those sessions also were provided at no cost to the campers or their families.

 

Throughout the summer, Boone received almost daily phone calls from parents interested in having their child attend either Camp Kanuga or Camp Bob as part of the tornado relief initiative.

 

“Families have been incredibly grateful for this opportunity,” she said. “The campers have been joyous and carefree. A recent group of campers from Sanford sang camp songs the entire bus ride home. I am a believer in the positive influence of camp in children's lives, and it’s been very gratifying to see this initiative reach these children as it has. We just wish we could have provided a summer camp experience to even more children in need.”

 

Affiliated with the Episcopal Church since 1928, Kanuga is a 1,400-acre retreat center near Hendersonville, N.C. To learn more about Kanuga or to support future relief initiatives, visit www.kanuga.org or call 828-692-9136.