June 18th, Father’s Day, will kick off the 9th year of CATCH Camp, the summer day camp in McLaughlin Neighborhood. Summer camp is about more than fun-packed weeks of adventure trips, kickball games, and character lessons. It’s more than forming life-long friendships. It’s more than strengthening character and self-esteem. It’s all of this, to be sure. But it’s about something more.
Summer camp is also about building leadership. It is the time when young people (our YEPs!) who have been maturing socially and spiritually over the past year(s) get the opportunity to exercise their leadership before younger watchful eyes. Nothing builds one's confidence like having others follow your example and aspire to be like you.
One of the greatest joys in neighborhood development work is seeing young leaders growing up to take positions of influence and responsibility in the community. This summer a growing number of our emerging leaders will be thrust into positions of significant responsibility that will further stretch their abilities and test their faith. They will work as farmers and mentors with McLaughlin Grows Farm, as camp leaders with CATCH Camp, as crew leaders with Royal Edge (our new and improved lawn care social enterprise!), and with our Home Rehab and Construction program at our newest home redemption project. By the summer's end, they will be exhausted. And significantly matured.
We need your help. We have the work for the kids. We have the staff to train and supervise them. What we need is the money to pay the kids for their work. Our goal is to hire 30 kids throughout the summer, awarding them $650 upon completion of a summer of job training!