Day camps become ‘the best part’ of a BCC summer

BCC residents see Harper’s Ferry and West River, host Baltimore campers

DSC_0005The Board of Child Care (BCC) partnered with the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church (BWC). The two organizations are trading the use of their respective facilities to benefit Baltimore city youth affected by violence as well as foster care youth BCC serves.

BCC hosted BWC campers to the Baltimore campus July 13 and 20 and Aug. 2 and 4. Participants from the West River UMC camps, which include youth from Baltimore city United Methodist Churches, ranged between 15 and 20 campers each day. Campers enjoyed the use of BCC’s recreational facilities like the teambuilding ropes course, indoor basketball gym, outdoor pool, and the on-grounds skateboard park.
In return, BWC hosted 36 BCC program participants to West River – a 45-acre facility on West River just 20 minutes from Annapolis – Aug. 10. Another 20 visited Camp Manidoken, a 300-acre camp featuring an 842-foot zip line – bordering the Potomac River and C&O Canal near Frederick August 17.

These sites are part of Camp LIFE, the camping and retreats ministry of the BWC. Their facilities include opportunities for archery, boating, camping, ropes courses, and swimming.

Additionally, 14 BCC participants in Baltimore joined 12 participants from BCC’s West Virginia campus in Martinsburg at Cunningham Falls outside of Frederick for a fun day of similar recreation.

“The opportunity to give children an experience with nature is one that speaks to our mission with the community and as care givers,” BCC President and CEO Laurie Anne Spagnola said. “Underserved children rarely enjoy these opportunities, and it’s our responsibility to broaden their horizons.”

Since 2006, BWC and BCC have shared the mission of broadening life experiences for traditionally underserved children by presenting safer options for summer recreation.

BWC operates a summer program that provides a free camp experience for Baltimore city youth through city-based United Methodist churches. The Board of Child Care provides therapeutic, residential facilities for children and young adults in the foster care system.