Showing posts with label kids in foster care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids in foster care. Show all posts

Sunday, October 21, 2007

"If You Build It......"




To finish the quote from Field of Dreams "they will come". We are hoping that a general manager will come to take SCKC to the next level. I have been involved with Southern Cross Kids Camps since its inception in 2000. We work with kids in foster care, or within the social welfare system. Most of these kids are having it tough and these camps allow them to experience unconditional acceptance, no-strings-attached love, a listening ear and the chance to build some happy childhood memories. Next year seven camps will run - six in three states of Australia and one in New Zealand. The board of directors are all volunteers and work from home. SCKC has two part-time staff for admin and accounts and NOW there is an office for them to work from, an office I will be at for several hours each week that I am 'home' and now the very real prospect of moving on via finding the right general manager. How did this happen? Through the vision, commitment to the cause of SCKC and generosity Jason Smith of the Back In Motion Health Group stepped in and has allowed us to use a portion of his corporate headquarters. We have our own entrance, reception area and two large offices! WOW! SCKC now has a physical presence in the community and we plan to make an impact. Check out www.sckc.org.au and its U.S. inspiration www.rfkc.org

Sunday, July 08, 2007

Look at me - I'm Happy!


This past week was spent at McCall, Idaho at the Boise Royal Family Kids' Camp. Forty-three kids - all in foster care - had an amazing week of camp. Games, music, activity centres, swimming, chapel, laughs and more. Kids from all backgrounds of neglect and abuse experienced caring people all showing unconditional love and acceptance. Kids were listened to, affirmed, praised, encouraged and challenged to participate in zipline, archery, ropes course and canoeing. Down at the dock I took a photo of one of the younger campers and when I showed her the photo in the camera screen she exclaimed "Look at me! I'm happy!"
That was the thing she noticed - 'I am happy". Happiness is surely every child's right, but sadly many children rarely experience this emotion. If you can get behind one of the 150+ RFKC camps this summer, please do so and allow more troubled and hurting kids experience some 'happy childhood memories"