The Children’s Lifesaving Foundation’s new Camp4All Project unites children of different backgrounds at a beautiful Campground in the Malibu Mountains this Summer
By Francesca McCaffery
The Children’s Lifesaving Foundation is launching an unprecedented, completely original project this summer- a unique camp experience for children from all backgrounds, very appropriately named Camp4All. This project invites Westside, Malibu and Valley families to enroll their children ages 5 to 12, in Camp4All- an opportunity for children of diverse backgrounds to play, create, swim, surf in a gorgeous, safe natural Santa Monica Mountain environment- and enjoy incredible summer experiences together. There is also a Counselor-In-Training Program for children and teens ages 12 to18.
This Camp4All project also allows for the incredibly singular opportunity of allowing these diverse groups of children the opportunity to break down the social and economic barriers that could, in time, without proper exposure, negatively color the views of the other.
Reverend Michael Bernard Beckwith, Founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center, author of Spiritual Liberation, and contributing author to the international bestseller “The Secret,†sums it up beautifully: “What Camp4All offers children is an opportunity to have a direct experience of love in action as they realize all that they share in common: dreams, goals, creativity, talents and skills. External factors that may seem to separate them by zip code, income, ethnicity or culture fall away during these days when they see, first hand, that they can participate in creating a world that recognizes, honors and nurtures the dignity of all beings. This is a contagious experience they can carry home in their hearts and express to all who cross their path.â€
“It’s a new generation. Children from more fortunate backgrounds are greatly growing in awareness, as are their parents. It’s so very important that we all give back, especially at this time. We teach them, and instill in them that it is so crucially essential to both groups of children to be interacting positively, reinforcing each other, and simply playing like kids together. This is a completely new way of looking at expanding the social and emotional horizons of your child’s life,†says Children’s Lifesaving Foundation Founder and President, Maria D’Angelo, who has helped serve well over 35,000 needy youth through the CLF’s four programs since 1993.
“Of all the worthy causes in Malibu, I would put Children’s Lifesaving Foundation at the top,†states Malibu Pro Tem Mayor Sharon Barovsky. “I have seen the very positive results of their four at-risk children’s programs.â€
Other Malibu residents our equally as excited about the new Camp4All Program. Adds Susan Stiffelman, author of the upcoming new book, Parenting Without Power Struggles: Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids While Staying Cool, Calm and Connected: “I have long dreamed of the opportunity for children of all backgrounds to come together simply as kids, playing and discovering and allowing the notions of difference and separation to naturally melt away. Bravo to the Children’s Lifesaving Foundation for yet again finding creative ways to help children grow up to become the compassionate, open-minded young adults that can help transform their lives, and the lives of all around them.”
In this economy, there is also another added plus to this great new camp Program for Malibu residents:
“Our fees are also much, much lower than a traditional camp,†adds D’Angelo, plus, she says, all of the “fees†are tax-deductible, and provide one full tuition for an in-need youth. “It’s really like getting two for the price of one!†says D’Angelo, emphatically. “It’s amazing. Instead of paying for just their camp experience, there is the added tax benefit, which is wonderful in this economy of course, and the knowledge that you are providing a truly memorable and sacred experience for a child whose family would in no way be able to afford it otherwise.â€
For older children and teens, there is an additional, one week CIT Program: “We have had children from Malibu, the Valley and the Palisades and Brentwood participate, for many years, in our Counselor-In-Training Program, and that has been such an incredibly exceptional, memorable experience for them. Camp4All is a way of greatly expanding that experience for the younger children, for even more lasting and positive effects for everyone involved, †says D’Angelo. In addition to Camp4All, the additional CIT (Counselor-In-Training) Program (which runs the week of July 13th) also allows for “older†kids (ages 13 to 18) to earn up practically ALL of their community service hours, significantly build their college resume skills, and experience what appears to be a profound Leadership Opportunity.
Malibu Webster Elementary School long-time Principal Phil Cott States:
“When children meet and interact with other children from different backgrounds, they learn lessons that will last them a lifetime.â€
Service projects, usually related to the environment, are also carried out and led by the children. With two meals a day, Zuma Beach Surf and Pizza from Spruzzo’s, organic salad bars, plentiful snacks, BBQ cookouts, natural arts projects, stunning trail hikes, basketball, fun ropes courses, surf lessons, “grateful†circles, dance parties and “Build-A-Dream†Workshops, it doesn’t sound like ANY local Westside or Valley youth could be lacking in an amazingly powerful, life-changing experience in the Santa Monica Mountains this summer.
Go to www.childrenslifesaving.org to sign up, or simply call the Children’s Lifesaving Foundation at: 310-450-3701 for more information. Parent Open House and Family BBQ is June 27th.
