Y camp kids donate pennies for patients

Caring, honesty, respect, responsibilty: the core values of the YMCA. Kids attending summer camp at the Y have fun, but their experience is immeasurably enriched by the presence of these core values in every single thing they do.

Any 6-year-old can tell you that picking up a piece of litter shows responsibility, telling a staff member you've broken something shows honesty, and using appropriate language shows respect.

For the past three years, campers at the downtown YMCA's Camp Fun City have modeled "caring" by collecting pennies for kids like themselves who are being treated at the Sadowsky Center for Children at Baystate Children's Hospital. Over the summer, they collected 24,215 pennies, which they presented recently in check form to the center.

The Sadowsky Center offers children diagnosed with cancer or blood disorders coordinated, family-centered care in a supportive environment, backed by the latest technology, treatment options and access to clinical trials.

Six youngsters, along with the director and assistant director of the camp, were present to represent their entire group. They toured the center and had a "business meeting" at which they learned about the center and explained their reasons for making the donation.

"We came here because at our camp people donated pennies for the kids who are here so that they can get much better," Jaymarie Burgos said.

"You need a lot of pennies," Felix Rentas added solemnly.

"Camp Fun City has been doing this for a while," said camp director Sharon McAbee. "Last year we raised $188. This year, we held a bake sale, sold lemonade and popcorn. The last day, we asked staff to contribute."

"And we painted fingernails," said Ashley Morales, referring to the kids who had participated in the Beauty and Cosmetology Mini-Camp. "We charged $2 for that."

The children were asked what they understood about cancer.

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