Even though the fall school season is in full swing, 47 kids are still enjoying memories of a week or more spent at summer camp. Ranging from 6 to 16, these children had a wealth of great experiences—some at day camp and others at sleepaway camp.
At its best, summer can be a time of widened horizons for young people, and camp can make a positive, lasting difference in a child’s life. An important part of mentoring is providing children with opportunities they may not otherwise have had.
Camp themes this year included Space, Fun & Funky Art, Photo Shop and Digital Illustration, Oil Painting Outdoors, River Running, Swimming, and Cooking.
Sacoya Williams, nine years old, attended multiple camp weeks, including Master Chefs at the Easton YMCA. In addition to making baked ziti, tortillas, and other dishes, she forged new relations. “I loved meeting the counselors and making new friends,” she says. Sacoya’s mentor, Sheila Buckmaster, notes that Master Chefs was the perfect opportunity for her mentee. “At the Talbot Mentors Wednesday after-school program last year,” she says, “Sacoya participated in cooking classes, which completely captivated her.”
“This summer marked Talbot Mentors’ thirteenth season of providing the children we serve with financial assistance to attend at least one week of camp,” says Talbot Mentors Executive Director Natalie Costanzo. “Last year we sponsored 20 campers. This year we more than doubled this,” she continues. Seventeen of the participants in the camp program attended week-long sleepaway camp. For some this was their first time away from home.”
Camp programs were offered by the YMCA, Pickering Creek, Oxford Kids Camp, Academy Art Museum, Crashbox Theater, Camp Pecometh, Camp Wright, Coach Wooten’s Basketball Camp, Nike Softball Camp, and Young Life.
Thanks goes out to the Bryan Brothers Foundation, Midshore Community Foundation, Children’s Home Foundation and the individual donors for helping to send Talbot Mentors kids to camps.
“By offering our mentees the chance to attend summer camp, we’re able to enhance the efforts of our volunteer mentors and give the kids experiences they will never forget,” says Costanzo.
For more information, to make a contribution, or to volunteer as a mentor, call Talbot Mentors at 410-770-5999 or visit www.talbotmentors.org.
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