Columnist Ruthe Deskin: A proud tradition: Sun Camp Fund

Ruthe Deskin

Thursday, May 27, 1999 | 9:36 a.m.

For more than half a century I have devoted a column to the Sun Camp Fund drive to send needy and handicapped children to summer camp. This year is no exception, for there is no charity more worthwhile than that which brings joy to disadvantaged boys and girls.

In all the years of its existence the Sun Camp Fund has been able to send thousands of youngsters to summer camp, giving them a childhood experience that should not be denied on account of financial hardship.

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I must lean on a columnist's reserve and reprint a column from last year about the Sun Camp Fund:

The Sage of Boundary Peak has never wavered in a commitment to bring happiness to needy children.

For more than 25 years, the Sage (whoever he is) has been writing letters to the editor of the Sun. Each letter has a small postscript: "donation to the Sun Camp Fund." The donation is always two $1 bills.

The Sage's letters are postmarked from a small community in Northern Nevada, and through all these years we have not been able to establish his identity.

He -- or maybe she -- does have something in common with all the organizations, businesses and individuals who help fund the Sun Camp Fund to send needy or handicapped children to summer camp. They share a commitment to children.

As the Sun Camp Fund gears up for this season it has become apparent that the number of children who will be asking for financial help to attend summer camp will exceed past years.

More money will be needed to bring happiness to the underprivileged children in our midst. We are asking our community to join with us in this worthy endeavor by sending a donation to the Sun Camp Fund at 800 S. Valley View Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107.

How did the project get started?

Almost 30 years ago a lady came to the Sun with an idea.

That lady was good Samaritan Charlotte Hill, who has put in many years of community service.

Charlotte has that unique quality of being able to present an idea in such a manner that one cannot say "no."

This was the case when she approached late Sun Publisher Hank Greenspun with a proposal to start a fund to send needy children to summer camp, patterned after the longtime program of the Los Angeles Times.

That was 29 years ago.

Greenspun assigned me to work with Charlotte. A board of directors, including prominent men and women in the community, was established and the Sun Camp Fund took off from there.

Since that time fees for summer camp have been paid for thousands of homeless, financially disadvantaged and physically disabled children.

The Sun pays all administrative costs of the Sun Camp Fund drive, including two staff members, phones, printing and miscellaneous costs. Every penny of every donation goes directly to bring joy to a needy youngster. We hope to send 910 boys and girls to camp this year. That is going to require a lot of money.

We are asking for your help.