Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Where I Stand: SUN Camp Fund sets lofty goal

MOST KIDS AREN'T growing up with a mother who is a drug addict.

But the two youngsters who were brought to my attention recently are in just such a situation.

To say they have suffered abuse is putting it mildly. The father wanders home occasionally but has little interest in the welfare of his children. They are left alone much of the time and the 11-year-old boy has, on many occasions, had to scrounge for food for himself and his 8-year-old sister.

Because of the deplorable situation, their grandmother is seeking custody and has the children living with her, in spite of her own physical disabilities.

The plight of these children is not unusual.

There are hundreds of boys and girls who live in poverty, are abused, not fed properly and are growing up in hostile environments.

Twenty-six years ago, Charlotte Hill came to SUN publisher Hank Greenspun with an idea that could bring joy to the joyless lives of so many of these youngsters.

Out of that meeting came the SUN Camp Fund, which annually sends hundreds of needy children to summer camp.

Since that time, the SUN Camp Fund has become a massive community effort with donations from organizations, businesses, political leaders, and individuals who believe every child should have a camping experience.

Donors give what they can to buy happiness for a needy child. One individual has been sending a regular gift of two dollars a month for the past 20 years.

When the SUN Camp Fund started, it was determined that every cent given for a child would go to that purpose. The Las Vegas SUN absorbs all administrative costs, including two staff persons, phones, printing, mailing and miscellaneous expenses.

This year, because of the burgeoning population, we expect many more children to apply for camperships. Last year, 641 children went to camp at a cost of $117,015.

With camp costs rising, the goal has been set for $125,000.

We thank the following who have generously answered our first appeal for funds:

Bonanza Beverage, Fraternal Order of Eagles Las Vegas Auxiliary 1213, Kevin Efroymson, Mirage Resorts, Sierra Construction, Nigro Associates, Atlandia Design, Showboat Hotel, Phyllis McGuire, Piero's, Alexis Park, Evelyne and Abe Fox.

Also Claudine Williams, Frank Fertitta, Jr., Palace Station, Las Vegas Hilton, George A. Martin, Paradise Homes, The Lionel Trust, Arthur Curtis, Bruce McLenahan and the Sands Hotel.

Many gifts are made in the form of memorials. As one donor wrote, "There is nothing more fitting to memorialize my husband than a gift to bring happiness to a needy child."

We have a long way to go if we reach our goal this year. Your donation would be greatly appreciated by some needy boy or girl anxiously awaiting word that they might attend summer camp this year.

* Since when hasn't water been a topic of heavy conversation in our valley?

This summer will be no exception. Residents will be barraged with slogans, brochures, mailing pieces, promises and threats -- all concerned with the preservation of our water supply.

How many times have we been warned that there must be a moratorium on the building of lakes, golf courses and outdoor water spectacles? Of course, that never happens. There are too many influential developers and hotel owners who can provide statistics to prove that there isn't a water shortage after all. And, if there is, it's all the fault of the average homeowners who use the bulk of the water for residential purposes. Sometimes it's difficult to get the facts. Statistics can prove almost any argument.

When a water company official says the reason they can't limit the building of golf courses is because so many people like to play golf, it's like saying build more lakes to attract more ducks.

No matter. The need to conserve water is real and anything individual homeowners can do is vital. Start now by checking all leaky faucets and watering conservatively. A call to the Las Vegas Valley Water District or the Clark County Preservation District will result in more tips on preserving our precious resource.

* Jane Henry, who volunteers at The Shade Tree, wants everyone to know about Thelma Johnson.

"Miss Thelma" has been a volunteer at Shade Tree since it first opened. She spends five days a week at the shelter whenever she is in town.

She does her best, on limited facilities, to feed a nutritious lunch to the little children who are in residence.

"Even more than food," Jane Henry writes, "she is there with a smile, a pat on the back, a tissue to wipe away the tears and a hug.

"Hundreds of children have passed through The Shade Tree since it opened and to 'Miss Thelma' each one is precious and equal.

"Each one is a 'grandchild' who needs the attention and love that only a grandma can give. Most of these children are pre-school age, too young to carry the memory of Grandma into their adulthood. But somewhere in the back of the mind or deep within the heart they will have her with them always. Thank you, Miss Thelma, for doing such a wonderful job."

And thank you, Jane Henry, for letting us know about this lovely lady.

* According to a SUN reader, there's nothing new about the flat tax. After paying his taxes, he's flat.

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