Send a kid to camp: 12-year-old Jessica needs your help

Twelve-year-old Jessica doesn’t have much to look forward to in the summer, except help her mother clean other people’s houses.

That’s one of the reasons she would like to go to summer camp like she did last year.

She went to the YMCA’s Camp Oakes in the San Beardino Mountains and had a great time.

“My favorite part about camp was that I was able to go swimming almost every day,” she told a Y counselor.

“We did the climbing wall and the zip line which were both really scary to me. At first, I didn’t want to do the zip line because I was so scared.

“But once my friends did it, I got the courage to go and try it. It was scary, but I was able to do it.”

Jessica would like to go back to Camp Oakes this summer and enjoy all the activities in the outdoors. And get some time off from helping to clean houses.

“My mom works cleaning houses, and I know she is very happy when I get to do something fun, especially since there would not be much for me to do in the summer but go to clean houses with her,” Jessica said.

You can help Jessica go to Camp Oakes by donating to the Press-Telegram’s Send-a-Kid-to-Camp Fund.

The Press-Telegram and the Long Beach Community Foundation have partnered to send kids to mountain camps operated by Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA, Camp Fire USA, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

The average cost of sending a child to one week at camp is $400.

It was to help youths like Jessica that motivated Tom Heessy, the Press-Telegram’s longtime columnist, to start the Kid-to-Camp Fund 17 years ago.

To honor Heessy, who died April 2, all of this year’s campers will be called “Tom’s Kids.”

Thank you for making a difference in the life of a child like Jessica.

Total, June 10-16: $2,150

Total this campaign: $55,305

Anonymous

Paula Bawden

Patti and Kyle Blevins

In memory of Ali Bosl

William and Frances Cahill

Craig Hagman

James and Christi Hays

B. F. Heessy, Ph.D.

Betty Hobbs

Long Beach Firefighters Honorary Association

Barbara and Manuel Loureiro

Mr. and Mrs. Alan Manack

In memory of Bud McQueen

Bob and Doa Parkin

Barbara Renfro

Tim Rosbottom

Victor and Iris Ruiz

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