Summer Fun at Palmer Home
Summer Fun at Palmer Home
Summer is in full swing at Palmer Home, and we wanted to share the fun the children have been having – thanks to the generosity of donors like you. When you give to Palmer Home, you’re not only providing for children’s basic needs like food and shelter, but also ensuring they have typical childhood experiences like summer camp and rec sports. Many of these activities were cancelled last year due to COVID, but we (especially the children!) are excited they returned safely this summer. Below are some of the fun activities and experiences we’ve enjoyed so far:
Camp Palmer: A 51-year tradition, Camp Palmer is an annual sleepaway camp for children of Palmer Home and Independent Presbyterian Church (IPC) in Memphis. Led and staffed by IPC members – many of whom grew up attending Camp Palmer – the week is packed with traditional summer camp activities like canoeing, horseback riding, swimming, ropes courses and camp dances. Through their time together, the children of Palmer Home bond with the children from IPC, reaching the sweet conclusion that they aren’t so different from each other and forging friendships that last for years.
On River Time: An amazing trip for 12-18 year-olds, On River Time hosts a week-long camp in Irwin, Idaho that teens we serve were able to attend. For some of the children, flying to camp was their first experience on an airplane. The children from Palmer Home were able to meet other teens from across the country, and together they spent the week fly fishing, white water rafting, making campfires (and s’mores of course!), and exploring the pristine nature of Grand Teton National Park and the American West. On River Time is not only an opportunity for teens at Palmer Home to learn new skills and grow in confidence, but also to deepen their relationship with the Lord by spending time in His creation.
Church Camps and Vacation Bible School: Closer to campus, the children are having a blast attending church camps and Vacation Bible Schools! The days are filled with playing outside, making crafts, singing songs, learning dances, eating snow cones, and most importantly, learning more about God and growing in faith.
Campus Fun: On campus, there’s no shortage of summer fun. From fishing and swimming in the lake, to epic water balloon fights and ice cream sundae nights, the children are enjoying all that summer has to offer from the safety and security of Palmer Home. Several of the children are involved in sports/rec leagues as well and are loving the opportunity to make new friends and play ball during the summer.
Providing typical childhood experiences like summer camp is part of Palmer Home’s proprietary approach to care, called Whole Child Initiative. We seek to help vulnerable children overcome their trauma and position them to thrive in home, school and community life. We believe that allowing kids to be kids, especially in the summer, is key to providing superior care. Thank you for your generous support that makes this possible.
