The Park Authority's Rec-PAC Summer Camp Program delivered high quality activities and projects in a structured recreation (Rec) program to thousands of ‘Pretty Awesome Children’ (PAC) in the summer of 2022. In 2022, even with a scaled down Rec-PAC season, donations from generous donors like you helped provide scholarships for 3,603 full weeks!
In a county as wealthy as ours is, it’s hard to believe that 80,441 people live in poverty and 25,286 of those are children under 18! These families must live on less than $30,000 a year and camps are out of their reach. Fortunately, donors help bring many smiles by providing an enriching summer of Recreation (Rec) for these Pretty Awesome Children (PAC)!
Rec-PAC is BACK! The children are thrilled, the parents are happy, and the Fairfax County Park Authority and Fairfax County Park Foundation are very pleased that we will once again offer camp scholarships to our young neighbors in need.
As our future begins to resemble our past, we are eagerly preparing for a fun summer for Fairfax County children. Rec-PAC is a six-week structured recreation program for elementary school-aged children. 40 Rec-PAC elementary school sites have been selected, counselors are being hired and the enriching Rec-PAC “Theme Weeks” are being developed. Campers will enjoy indoor and outdoor games, team sports, nature, crafts, talent shows and screen-free play sessions that incorporate character-building activities. New in 2023 are subject matter experts offering extra classes in STEM, arts, theatre, chess, and sports.
The Park Foundation Rec-PAC camp scholarships are so important to provide a safe and active summer for children in need. Many lower-income and working families have limited transportation and Rec-PAC sites are convenient since children can walk to camp at their neighborhood schools. Select sites offer meals for children who qualify for reduced or free lunch to ensure their nutritional needs are met.
We need your help today if we are going to continue to provide these important camp scholarships. Please consider donating $1,000, $500, $300, $100, $50 or whatever you can afford to help send a needy child to camp. Every gift makes a difference and is greatly appreciated.
Your donation will have a positive impact on a child this summer. One look at the smiles on their faces shows that your gift provides an enriching summer of Recreation (REC) for these Pretty Awesome Children (PAC)! On their behalf, we thank you for your thoughtfulness.
Despite significant budget cuts over the past several years, Rec-PAC continues to offer Fairfax County residents high quality service. Over 89% of parents are very or extremely satisfied with Rec-PAC. The program also produces significant results:
- On average, over 2,000 attend Rec-PAC weekly at one of the 40 school sites supervised by more than 300 paid staff.
- 232 older adolescents, often former campers themselves, participated in the Counselors-in-Training program, helping to support staff and serve as role models.
- Each participant enrolled all summer long engaged in over 140 hours of rigorous physical activity.
- Nearly 100% of the children completed nutrition-related activities that included preparing a fitness activity book with exercises, games, food group information and health facts to share with their families.
- In "Rec-PAC Gives Back", campers participated in a season-ending finale of community service. They held numerous school clean ups, planted trees, collected canned food for local charities and organized fundraisers for a variety of local groups.
Please make a commitment to the children of our community. Help provide a safe, supervised summer for needy kids.
Read the Rec-PAC appeal letter.
Please help us provide low income kids with bright futures and the same summer camp experience as other children. Your contribution will help make camp a reality for these children. The smiles on their faces will be our biggest thank you!
Here's what some campers said were their favorite things:
- "Being with my friends."
- "Playing bumper pool."
- "Making bracelets and keychains from gimp."
- "End of summer party!"
Let’s Help Kids – Rec-PAC Summer Camp
"The summers between school years are long ... especially for kids who have no activities planned when all of their friends do. Summer camp has always been my favorite part of the summer. A chance to make great friends, have fun, and get to grow into myself. I want all kids to have that same opportunity!" - Rachel Harris, LHK Founder (pictured)
“Rachel and I are grateful (to the Park Foundation) for being willing to pick up where we are leaving off. Please show your support by donating to assist them in their work.” - Jen Sterling (pictured)
We look forward to providing camp opportunities to our neighbors in need during school breaks and summers through PACT and Rec-PAC. PACT provides camp scholarships for children living in homeless shelters and supportive housing. Rec-PAC provides scholarships and program support to the underserved populations to attend day programs at elementary schools.
Summer camp is made possible thanks to the generosity of many donors including the following Fairfax County businesses, foundations and individual donors to the Rec-PAC and the PACT programs.
Elizabeth Averill and Ben Grimes
Amy Aycock
Soon Chang
JL Davis
Laura Eakin Erlacher
Karen Emami
Jean M. Esswein
Sean Flannery
Timothy B. and Lesley J. Hackman
Lisa Hoskins
Adaora Ifebigh
Jane W. Gwinn
William and Patricia Kablach Casano
Jenny Lee
Bob Lindley
Julie A. Lobdell
Christopher Long
James M. McGlone and Deana M. Crumbling
Lawrence A. Monaco
Charles M. Murphy and Shelby Pearl
Seamus O’Connor
Laurie and Jed Perry
Susan Salpini
Ranodhi Serrao
Tamara Sheiffer
Lynn C. Thompson
Edward L. Walker
Mario Weber
Michael Wood
Jacqueline A. Woodle
Jim and Marilynn L. Zook