Montgomery County Commissioners Vow Support of Camp Rainbow Mission

Montgomery County Commissioners Josh Shapiro and Valerie Arkoosh paid a visit to the county-owned Camp Rainbow Inc. during a recent camping session.

As part of the tour, Commissioner Arkoosh said she and Commissioner Shapiro toured the camp’s various buildings and talked with the camp’s cooking staff about the necessary preparations involved in meeting the dietary needs of a child with a gluten allergy.

One of the highlights was watching campers play with water balloons on the oppressively hot day.

“It’s just a beautiful location,” Commissioner Arkoosh said of the camp. “It was wonderful to see so many kids there and to see so many kids get the chance to go to camp who otherwise couldn’t go.”

Since 1951 the overnight camp has opened its doors to deserving Montgomery County children, subsidizing most of the $267 weekly expense per camper as part of Camp Rainbow’s $160,000 annual operating budget. Particularly since the economic downturn, it has gotten more difficult to raise the funds needed to keep the camp stay operational.

Commissioner Arkoosh said the county, in addition to leasing its land to Camp Rainbow Inc. for $1 per year and making small repairs at the camp, identified a few additional maintenance jobs that county personnel could do.

In addition, Commissioner Arkoosh said the county intends to identify some additional board members to help support the camp’s mission.

It’s a mission that Arkoosh said was evident throughout her recent visit.

“The enthusiasm from everyone we spoke with for the mission of the camp was evident,” she said. “There was real dedication to helping every child who walks through the door.”

About Camp Rainbow Inc.

Camp Rainbow Inc. was founded in 1951 by the Harold G. Knight Foundations. Camp Rainbow, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to offering deserving children of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania a week-long, overnight summer camping experience at a low cost to the family. The camp, which is located on beautiful acres on the Perkiomen Creek in Lower Salford Township, serves children between age 7 and 16. Camp Rainbow Inc. prides itself on teaching children valuing behavior, how to give and receive honest feedback and take responsibility for one’s actions. To learn more about

Camp Rainbow Inc., or to make a contribution, visit www.camprainbowinc.com.