Camping has long been a rite of passage for kids. Hiking. Arts and crafts. Skits and songs around the campfire. And, of course, s’mores.
This past summer, 10 young people from Pacific Clinics’ Foster Care and Adoption Services (FCAS) program in the Capital Region got their chance to enjoy everything camp has to offer, thanks to the efforts of Pacific Clinics Board Member Sue Ramar, who was one of the original founders of the camp.
The youth spent a week at Camp Saint Andrew’s in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The sleepaway camp, founded in 1977 and affiliated with the Diocese of El Camino Real in the South Bay, serves Bay Area children ages eight and older.
“Everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy the excitement of camp and the lifelong memories made there,” Ramar said. “I am so thankful to Camp Saint Andrew’s for providing these wonderful young people with a full week of creative activities and experiences in the outdoors. It is a way for children to learn about themselves and grow into the adults they will become.”
The other daily activities the campers enjoyed were swimming, arts and crafts, fishing and archery lessons.
But it wasn’t just fun and games for two of the youth, who were old enough to serve as camp counselors — the week provided them the opportunity to develop their leadership skills while supporting the personal and spiritual growth of the campers within a supportive community.
“The youth from the FCAS programs have been wonderful to have as part of our camp community,” says Cara Pham, camper outreach and camperships for Camp Saint Andrew’s. “All 10 arrived safely and [had] a wonderful time – lots of smiles, excitement, fun in the pool, and overall settling in well. We are grateful for this partnership and that we get to have these wonderful youth in our camp community!”
The youth had a great time, says Pacific Clinics’ Clinical Director Agnes Perez.
“The opportunity this year, and in previous years, would not be possible without the dedication and support of Sue Ramar and members of the camp team,” Perez says. “The kids and the families now have memories to last a lifetime. We cannot express our gratitude enough.”
Pacific Clinics is thankful to the camp team for their partnership, says Lanie Chang Xiong, clinical associate director for FCAS.
“Our families are grateful for this opportunity,” Xiong says. “We are also grateful for this opportunity and would like to thank Cara and her team.”
