Just two weeks from today,

...all of our munchkins, 32 this year, will be arriving at camp.  To get to this point we’ve done lots to prepare. 

We had a “Down-to-Business” training meeting in March to allow all volunteers, both old and new, to gain insight into how best to serve and love the population of the children at our camp. We were very excited about the structure of our training this year! Throughout the course of this day volunteers had a chance to be introduced to the new additions to our family, connect with returning volunteers, hear from our leadership team and board of directors, as well as a priceless visit from Franklin Smith, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in Mental Health training and consulting.

Then in April we gathered again to allow all volunteers, both old and new, to continue to establish and build the relationships amongst ourselves, which is what truly propels us to be able to serve. What better way to have done this but spending a Saturday afternoon picnicking in the park with friends? That is exactly what we did. Throughout the course of this day we also continued to build on our training with some games and role-playing.

Last, but not least, we gathered up at our campsite in May for a weekend of team building, training, and campsite preparation.  This was an especially wet year up in Big Bear so much of the trailblazing that is our “norm” for this weekend was deferred to cleaning, replacing dirt for steps, and clearing some large fallen brush from the trails. We even got to wake up Sunday morning to an unusually late in the year snowstorm!

         Now that we are all trained, bonded, and ready to go we will wait on the kiddies.  These final weeks, as the boxes on our “to-do” lists get checked, we will continue to pray for camp and all that it entails, especially for the hearts of our little ones. We are also trying to push on to reach our monetary needs before camp, that the burden could be lifted.  If you could help us by donating using the button on the right that would be of great and crucial help. Thanks so much for your prayers, donations, & support during these final weeks…for the children! 

to visit orphans in their distress...

“Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans (and widows) in their distress…” James 1:27

In a meditation of what this means, John Piper tells us, “Face it. A few kids are cute, but most street kids will be thankless, rude, dirty, diseased, scar-faced, shifty-eyed, lice-infested, suspicious, smelly, and have rotten teeth.”  The mystery to how these children got to this place in their short life may never be understood in whole but we can get a pretty good idea if we understand where some of them have been.

Most of them were born into this world without ever having a sense of belonging to anyone.  Imagine, the feeling we get from home.  Home doesn’t have to be the actual place you live but more so the feelings of home.  For me it’s a comfy bed and a fluffy blanket, a hot shower and a clean towel, the freedom of food and health, and opportunity for love and peace that you can’t find anywhere else.  It’s the people that make home just that for me. The consistency of family and friends and even the consistency of the barista at the local coffee shop all give the feeling of home.

For these kids there is NO home.  There is no person or people that give them the sense of home that we yearn for, even as adults, after being on vacation or trip away from it for a while. They are constantly shifted from home to home for any number of reasons and most of the time for no reason at all. As soon as they are settled the carpet gets taken out from under them yet again.

If we gave our time, money, effort and love for the payoff of an investment, we would burn out after only a week. If we did this because we believed that there is a way of changing these little ones in five short days, we wouldn’t come back year after year.  The truth is that it takes so much more than what we are humanly able to give. The results of what we do are not up to us, which does not take away our responsibility but essentially makes it greater.  When we grasp that we do what we do with hope for future grace, we will be able to comfort and love the ones who are least likely to thank us. For the reward is much greater when we can give with no expectation of reward aside from a proliferating love.  

The test of love is in how one relates not to saints and scholars but to rascals.

     -- Abraham Joshua Heschel

Prospective new family members...

Today was a great day of meeting new volunteer applicants for camp 2010! We can’t help but feel gracious to the gifts that we’ve been given in the people who join our family.  We’re reminded of the resiliency of the human spirit; all the things that are put in our lives that we can see as challenges, we can also see as opportunities.  Our spirits don’t just survive, they recover, they heal, they blossom.  We’re reminded that the fast-paced, action-packed life we live needs to slow down.  Our hearts are renewed in faith to meet people who are strong, encouraging, at peace with their lives, honest and humble and most importantly; ready to share ALL of their hearts and love some kids who desperately need it. We can’t wait to meet more new prospective family members in next weeks interviews and to introduce all the new volunteers to all the veterans.

Time to share the information on our NEW CAMP BROCHURE....

Our beginning…

In 1999, Richard and Susan Masin partnered with a church in the heart of Los Angeles to serve their surrounding population of children in foster and dependency care with a Royal Family Kids’ Camp.  After two successful years as Director and Camp Nurse, respectively, Richard and Susan passed the role of Director to Deanna Wilcox.  They then assumed the role of camp Grandma and Grandpa, a crucial role at camp.  In the years since then, Deanna has wrapped her arms around these children and this camp, as well as the volunteers that have come into it, and truly made it a family.

  

Our belief…

We have learned through our experience of TEN YEARS OF CAMP, that the love, joy and freedom that we share with children who have suffered abuse and neglect, gives them hope for a brighter future.  We also know that this hope allows them the power to break the cycles of abuse.

  

Our family…

Our camp is unique in many ways but the most valuable to us is that we have one counselor for every two children as well as one staff person.  Having one adult for every child really makes our family strong.  Every activity during camp happens with our whole family fully engaged in participation.

Our volunteers…

Our camp would not have the successes that it does without the many hours committed to training and team building by our volunteer staff.  Every year each volunteer goes through a full training curriculum along with one-on-one mentoring by veteran volunteers and team building activities to bring the “family” feeling with us up the mountain. 

Our activities…

Our camp is overflowing with activities to do all week long: from fishing at the lake, to canoeing, to kayaking, to Arts & Crafts, to the Drum Circle, to lizard catching, to the Talent Show, to Everybody’s Birthday Party, to learning how to put out a fire, to hiking, to song singing, to archery, to games on the outdoor field, volleyball in the sandpit, basketball and so much more. It’s a non-stop, energy-packed, joy-filled week!

Our impact…

Since our first year of camp, about forty children between the ages of seven and eleven have come to camp every summer and enjoyed a fully child-centered week.  They work and play together to successfully complete projects and participate in special events, all the while building friendships with other children and gaining a host of positive memories. Since kids are eligible to return until they "graduate" after turning eleven, each summer it is thrilling that about half our campers are "alums" coming back for more happy, childhood memory-making.

Our feedback…

Caregivers say… “My three have not stopped telling me of all they experienced and enjoyed. The oldest wishes he were younger than eleven so he could go again.”

“Camp was inspirational, the children came back with a sense of calmness about them.  They enjoyed it a lot! I also thought the camp was organized very well from beginning to end. Thank you very much for a wonderful week.”

Department of Children and Family Services say… “Camp is a powerful experience.  Our kids’ memories of camp last all year round.”

“Thank you for the amazing camp you gave the children.  They can’t stop talking about it.”

Campers say… “I like catching lizards, seeing animals, swimming in the lake, the birthday party, chapel in the rocks, hiking, canoeing, the ‘peanut butter jelly song’, the food and hot chocolate, taking showers and nice beds for sleeping.”

“I love camp because of breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

“I like the camp cuz my counselor is fun and funny.  All the people make me feel at home.”

Volunteers say… “Camp was probably the best week I had in the last eleven years.. Maybe longer!”

“The most rewarding part of camp is the children. Hands down. Seeing them everyday. Playing with them, laughing with them, learning with them. They are the only reason for camp to exist.”

Our FAQs from donors...

Q: What is the cost of camp per child?

A: The week at camp costs us $800 per child.

Q: What does this cost include?

A: The cost per child includes chartered transportation up and down the mountain, camp souvenirs, all sports and activities, and room, board, and facility use for the camp family.

Q: Where do the funds come from? 

A: Every penny to host camp each year is generously given by families and individuals who share and believe in our vision.  We are beyond grateful for those who give, for without them our camp program could not go on. 

Q: What is the cost for each adult?

A: Their room and board is included in calculation of cost per child; our "family" policy mandates equal numbers of volunteers and campers.

Q: Where is the camp site?

A: We are blessed to have the exclusive use of a 270-acre campground with its private lake and lodge in Big Bear, California.

Q: Where do you find kids to come to camp?

A: The Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in our area and many Social Workers help connect us to our children.

Q: What is the vision for Kids-Net LA?

A: Our goal is that by 2012 we will be able to support not only camp but also a Teen Camp for children who have graduated from our flagship program.

Our FAQs from Social Workers...

Q: How do I get registration materials?

A: Email us at kidsnetla@gmail.com with your name, telephone number and fax number OR mailing address.  You can also call Executive Director Deanna Wilcox at 310.473.1336.

Q: What is the deadline for registration?

A: Registrations are accepted on a "first-come, first-served" basis! When all available camper slots are full, a wait list will be maintained (also in the order received) to fill any last minute vacancies that may occur.

Q: How much does camp cost? 

A: The sole cost to caregivers is a registration reservation fee of $50.00 per child, payable to Kids-Net Los Angeles, Inc. Kids-Net LA’s annual fundraising from the private sector makes it possible to offer this fun-filled mountain experience to your children.

The story of the Starfish…

While walking on the beach one day, I saw a starfish by the shore. And everywhere I looked it seemed, I saw a thousand more. Then what to my surprise appeared? A boy of nine or ten. And as the starfish washed ashore, he threw them back again. "One starfish won't make a difference son; You can't change this situation." He stooped and picked up one more starfish, then looking right at me, "I can make a difference for this one, sir" and returned it to the sea. So I went and gathered all my friends, my brothers and my cousins. We joined in with that little boy and saved starfish by the dozens. There are still many to be rescued-many "starfish" on life's shore. And you can make a difference too...by saving just one more.

-C.C. Milbrandt

With your help, we are making a difference…one child at a time!

  

Kids-Net Los Angeles, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity. Federal Taxpayer ID Number 42-1738569

Kids-Net LA, Inc.

P.O. Box 251722

Los Angeles, Ca

90025

Ph: 310.473.1336

Email: kidsnetla@gmail.com

new logo....

We are very excited to share our new logo with everyone.  There it is...

We hope you love it as much as we do!

time flies...

The deadline for our Returner Application is only 3 days away and we're hoping to receive some New Volunteer Applications before the deadline on January 29th.  Although camp isn't until July 5th we are starting things off early this year with the hope of having our best camp to date.  Every year it gets better and better!  If you would like to make a difference in your own life and in the lives of these children please contact us about applying for camp.  If you can't volunteer a week in the mountains we have a lot of ways that you can volunteer from home.  Please email us at kidsnetla@gmail.com with any questions.  If you can't volunteer your time you can also donate by clicking the yellow button to the right of this entry. We can't wait to see some new faces added to our family!