Boys and Girls Club Starts 'Send a Kid to Camp'

For kids who can't afford to pay for summer camp, a scholarship can help provide them with the opportunity to have fun, learn and grow.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Prince William are kicking off their "Send a Kid to Camp" campaign today to raise money for summer camp scholarships. The goal is to raise $40,000 between the three clubs in Dale City, Manassas, and Dumfries.

"For some parents, $25 to $75 is the difference between their child being apart of the summer camp experience or being unsupervised at home," said Boys & Girls Club Regional Director, Glenn Vickers. “Generous donations will fill that gap, and 100 percent of the funds raised over the next 100 days will go directly to the youth of the Greater Prince William County region who attend the clubs. Our motto is 'Great futures start here,' and your involvement will help that come true."

The programming will include camps for ages 5 to 17, including sports-focused camps. The camps are designed to help students achieve academic success and build good character, citizenship and healthy lifestyles.

A donation of $150 will provide a full scholarship for a week of camp for one child, but officials say they plan to stretch donations farther and help more children attend by providing partial scholarships for families who meet a challenge to raise the rest of the money.

All scholarships are based on need and are processed on a first come, first served basis. Priority is given to new applicants.