Scott Ralls, Owner of Summer Trails Day Camp in Somers, NY, Named Recipient for 2016 Project Morry Award

Scott Ralls, owner of Summer Trails Day Camp in Somers, NY and Southwoods Resident Camp in Paradox, NY was recently named the 2016 Project Morry Award recipient. The award will formally be given to Ralls on November 2 at the Project Morry 2016 Banquet at Pier Sixty in New York City.

Project Morry is a nonprofit, year-round youth development organization, anchored by a residential summer camp with an educational focus. The organization is dedicated to giving youth from underserved communities, in and around the New York City metropolitan area, enriching learning opportunities through a curriculum based on school gatherings and an intensive summer camp program. Project Morry teaches positive core values needed to gain self-esteem and a sense of personal responsibility to achieve lifelong goals.

Ralls has been involved with Project Morry continuously for 21 years and is a founding member. Ralls previously served as President of Project Morry from 2002-2005. In addition to serving as President, Ralls was Co-Chair for its six-million-dollar Capital Campaign and led the negotiations and purchase of the 1,000-acre property that is now the permanent summer home of Project Morry.

Dawn Ewing, the Executive Director of Project Morry shared the following: "Scott Ralls is a champion. I don't mean the winner. It is bigger than that. By champion, I mean a person who fights tirelessly for a cause on behalf of someone or something that he believes in. Scott believes in camp, not just for his daughters, not just for his campers and staff and families at Summer Trails and at Southwoods, no Scott believes in camp for all kids. The difference between Scott and most of us is that he does something about it every single day. His work for Project Morry as a board member, president, treasurer, capital campaign chair, fellow camp director and friend has been all in from day one - all the time, every minute, every moment. I challenge folks to truly think about what they believe in, and what they are willing to be ALL in for and what they are going to do today, tomorrow and the day beyond that to make it happen. That is why we honor Scott...he believes in the best in us all!”

Ralls has devoted his entire professional life to providing growth opportunities to children and young adults. Along with his wife, Andrea, and partner, Jamie Sirkin, Ralls is the owner and operator of Summer Trails Day Camp, in Westchester County, NY. Scott and Andrea are also the founders, owners and directors of Southwoods, the premiere co-ed four-week residential camp in upstate NY. Both camps are known and respected nationally for the breadth, depth, and quality of their programs, facility and staff.

“Receiving the 2016 Morry Award, is truly humbling and a great honor,” said Scott Ralls. “Morry Stein taught us that camp was much more than sports and arts & crafts. Camp provides young people with the opportunity to awaken passions they did not know they had, a place where no matter who they are, they can find their best self. Children of all ages and backgrounds find common ground at camp and grow in immeasurable ways. At camp, we learn that we are stronger and more resilient than we thought, that we are valuable and that we are capable of achieving anything. Project Morry's year round program does all this and so very much more. It is a true oasis for children, made up of people who genuinely care about making a difference. This difference now extends beyond just the children served at Project Morry as these young people are giving back as adults and becoming part of the organization as leaders so they can continue to impact the communities where they live. I love getting to be a part of Project Morry, and receiving an award named after Morry means so very much to me."

For more information and tickets for the Project Morry 2016 Banquet, please visit: http://www.projectmorry.org/events/.