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Health & Fitness

SJC Relay For Life Kids Camp 2013

Cancer can be a very scary thing, especially for children.  It is one of those subjects that it is hard to talk about, especially if you do not have a reason to do so such as a family member has it.  If you are looking for a way to break the ice, please consider coming to our Relay For Life this weekend.  Granted there are poignant moments such as our luminaria ceremony at 9 pm on Saturday, from 10 am until 9 pm, it is one big party!  Starting at 10 am, we have a great line-up of family friendly entertainment scheduled, but more on that tomorrow.  Today I would like to tell you a little more about our Kids Camp.

I am looking forward to bringing my niece and nephew to the Kids Camp to enjoy all the activities such as bounce houses, clowns, face painting, and henna tattoos.  From there, we can take a break and walk around the track.  They help decorate our luminarias, so as we walk around, they are looking for “their” bags.  We also look at the other bags and it gives me a great opening to discuss with them what is cancer and why I participate in the Relay (see my last blog).  My niece is six this year and will be walking in her sixth Relay.  Young as she is, she is starting to understand that people (and pets) of all ages can get cancer.  We are sad when we lose someone, but we also celebrate those who are still with us and walking around the track, she can (and does) ask all sorts of questions regarding cancer and each year they get harder and harder to answer.  A couple months ago, she rode by the park and was asking her mom when the Relay was as she could not wait to do it again.  Granted she is six and is probably looking forward most to the Kids Camp, but she is also proud of the fact that last year she fundraised and sponsored herself for $100.

My nephew is still a bit on the young side, but his sister has been telling him about the Kids Camp and he I looking forward to going to it.  However, both of them are in for a big surprise as this year’s camp looks to be the best one yet!  Artist Jack Knight will be helping kids create an Art Totem project that contains messages of hope for those that have cancer.  The San Juan Capistrano Friends of the Library is sponsoring storyteller Ina Buckner-Barnette to come in and entertain.  Armstrong Gardens will be conducting several seed planting events.  There will also be a chill out tent with G rated movies and popcorn….. all of this for free!!!

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Also in the Kids Camp, but some things I think will be fun for adults, will be a dunk tank with the mayor, former Mayor and other city dignitaries taking turns in the hot seat.  Human orbs balls will be available to play in although I think I will have a better time watching the kids play in them than they will be running around in them!  Not only will the picnic area have BBQ food, the wives of San Juan’s own adopted Marine Battalion, the 1/11, are baking up a storm.  For all of these items, there will be a charge, but 100% of the profits go to the Relay.

So I invite you to join the Relay and use it as a way to not only ease into talking about cancer to the child in your life, it is a great way to start introducing them to philanthropy.  A small water bottle holds about $100 in dimes.  If they have fun this year, encourage them to start their own bottle and fundraise by doing chores around the house and next year they can participate in the Relay by sponsoring their self. (They can join for $10, but if they have $100, they will earn a t-shirt.)  It is amazing to see how proud and excited kids are when they do something good for others and how that extends into other aspects of their lives.  I can tell you from personal experience that doing something good for others makes you feel good, but seeing the next generation actually look forward to doing their small part to make this world a better place makes one feel even infinitely better!!!


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