What happened with the summer camps for 9-11 families?
The two camps were so successful that Lions Sept. 11 Central Steering Committee recently allocated $400,000 to support up to six camps/retreats in 2003. Lions will work with Friendship Ambassadors Foundation on the camps. The first camp was held in July 2002 at Camp Sunshine in Casco, Maine. The Ray of Hope Week allowed 29 families a respite from their grief. Families enjoyed themselves and gained a measure of peace and happiness. LCIF gave US$30,000 to make the camp possible. The camp was “a week for the families to mend and share the bitter sweetness of being in a place,” where in the words of one mother, “We don’t have to explain,” according to a story in the Boston Globe. A dozen Lions volunteered at the camp to help it run smoothly. The Lions made sure the families had everything they needed and got the most out of the camp. A second summer camp for Sept. 11 children was held in August in Putnam Valley, N.Y., in conjunction with Friendship Ambassadors Foundation. A theatre troupe
