Each July, Crossroads Community Church of Summerville tries to give back to some of the children in the state foster care system a little of the childhood they may have missed.
The Royal Family Kids Camp, which has operated nationally since 1985, is designed for abused, neglected and abandoned children in the state system.
The camp is staffed by screened and trained volunteers from Crossroads Community Church and serves approximately 30 children each summer.
“We want – to give each child at least one week of happy memories as a foundation for their future,” said Crossroads pastor Peppy DuTart. “Statistics show that children who have been abused are far more likely than others to abuse their own children and to suffer a variety of physical and emotional problems.
“But this cycle of failure and generational abuse can be broken when there is specific, targeted intervention. We believe [we can] make that difference for the children we serve each summer.”
The program provides a framework for a summer camp experience that seeks to meet the special needs of abused or neglected children. One counselor is assigned for every two children, and all counselors receive intense, specific training for working with abused youngsters.