Honorarium & Memorial Contributions Consider this . . . forgoing just one gift for the holidays and donating its value to camp. If you do not know what to get someone who has everything, why not make a donation to Camp Care-A-Lot in their name. It will make the honoree, a child, and you very happy. The honoree of the donation will receive a certificate. After all, life is about love, caring, giving and happiness. Teach your own children that they can give too. What better lesson in life is there than learning to be caring and generous to people in need. Camp Care-A-Lot also has a Memorial Fund to which you may contribute in memory of a loved one. Try this in lieu of flowers. The Camp Care-A-Lot children are very much in need of the experience and time at camp. Please give generously. Your contributions are tax deductible as we are registered 501-3-c. Thank you. DONATIONS MAY BE SENT TO: Eydee Schultz 7 Apache Dr. Springfield, IL 62791 217-546-4777 E-mail: carelot3@aol.com Camp Care-A-Lot Wins Coveted Award On June 7, 2000, Camp Care-A-Lot won the President’s Daily Points of Light Award for exemplary community service and volunteerism. The award was given because of our program in efforts to improve the community. Congrats to all who have EVER been involved with camp. Stocks as Tax Deductions The end of year is a perfect time to think of tax write-offs. Donating stock that you have had for a year or longer can result in valuable tax savings. Gifts of stocks are deductible at their fair market value on the day of the contribution. Stocks are exchanged by Camp Care-A-Lot for funds to send children to camp. This is a terrific way for you to show your support of the work we are doing for needy kids, and to get a tax break too! We are a registered 501(c)(3). Call Eydee Schultz 217-546-4777, for information if you would like to use this mode of contribution.		Reflections from a New Assistant Counselor Being a volunteer counselor assistant, was to me, an experience of its own. It was full of new things, different personalities and backgrounds that I’d never come into contact with. Childrens’ ages varied and different types of people volunteered for completely different reasons. I met several different personalities in children and adults. I received many out of the ordinary experiences while being a volunteer at Camp Care-A-Lot. The types of people I met and now know were great. The impact and impressions I have made on people and people made on me, were different, too. These are the things that I will never forget or even want to forget: I learned to deal with children emotionally and personally. During camp, I found out that children expect different things and that children could be very demanding and shy at the same time. I also found out that children exaggerate. During these exaggerations they don’t necessarily want you to believe them, they just want you to hear them out. The campers were of low economic status and had different family backgrounds. I was able to meet children that I was able to help emotionally. During my stay at the camp, I came into contact with different types of organizations, who’s members came out to volunteer for the children. Because of how diverse the camp was, the children were able to learn a lot of different things that they were unfamiliar with before camp. The counselors that volunteered were of different backgrounds, also. I had the privilege of being in the wild and experiencing the wonders of nature. This was mind taking because I fell in love with everything. This time in my life was most impacting, because I was able to grow so much in the world of knowledge. You can see what I received out of being a camp counselor. It was a very exciting experience. I will continue to look forward to every summer to come. I will also continue to encourage everyone I know and meet to volunteer with Camp Care-A-Lot. Marcus Travis, Lanphier Graduate and Freshman at Mississippi State University		Big Hearts-Good Friends: Mayor Hasara and Alderman Madonia We usually have our Spirit of Camp Care-A-Lot Award in the spring newsletter, but there was an event on July 10, 2000 which deems making a special award NOW! Mayor Hasara and Alderman Tom Madonia sponsored a special Camp Care-A-Lot fundraiser. That Monday evening was one of the most moving experiences of my life and to say it was a success would be an understatement. Mayor Hasara, Alderman Madonia, Board President Gary Hills and I greeted over 300 people from the Springfield community who gathered at Chantilly Lace Club. They watched our camp slides, saw our 7 year quilt in the making, met the staff and had lots of camaraderie. Because of the Mayor, the Alderman, their families and their good friends, more people know and care about our children than ever before. As they presented us with the close to $10,000.00 I cried. This contribution was beyond my highest hopes and is a significant indication our camp is an increasingly important community activity to increasing numbers of people. I would also like to give special thanks to Kevin Davlin, Tom Egizii and Jack Howard who were a big part of the fundraiser with donations of food, drink, music and place. We hope you will come to visit camp this summer to meet the children who are very grateful to you for your generosity. Mayor Hasara has been to camp each year since the first year of camp. She graciously opens camp with a ribbon cutting ceremony, explains to the children what her job is and why she loves it so much. The children all know that she is a friend to them and will help them in their lives. She then explains that each day we will have a camp mayor who will be helping with the camp duties (introducing speakers and activities and choosing a staff person to squirt with a cold water hose). This year the mayor enjoyed lunch with the children, who warmed up quickly to her and invited here to stay for the week. . . . How about it Mayor!!!??? Alderman Madonia has joined our distinguished Board of Directors and has visited both the camp and our camp Holiday Party. He has a very vested interest, too. Mary Pat, his wife, is one of our staff members. I wish that this article could say in words what my heart says to Mayor Hasara, Alderman Madonia. Your family and friends who participated in this fundraiser are new members of our camp family. Thank you doesn’t seem enough. We are touched and proud that you all are so caring and concerned about our campers. You have helped to fulfill our mission in that you really showed the children, their families and the community that you Care-A-Lot. Thank you doesn’t seem enough to say, but we say it again with love and sincere appreciation, Eydee, The Board of Directors, Staff and especially the Kids