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Great Lakes Burn Camp for Kids receives nearly $3,000 from Romulus Curling Royale committee
Summary
At the Feb. 24 Romulus council meeting the Great Lakes Burn Camp executive director described camp services for children who have experienced burns and the Curling Royale committee presented nearly $3,000 to help send local children to camp.
At the Feb. 24 Romulus City Council meeting, Michael Longnecker, executive director of the Great Lakes Burn Camp for Kids, described the nonprofit's free summer and winter camps for children who have experienced burn injuries and accepted a check presentation from the Romulus Curling Royale committee that will help send children to camp at no cost.
Longnecker said the nonprofit — a 501(c)(3) that has run summer sessions for 30 years and winter camp for 27 years — provides clothing, meals, nursing, social work and therapy services to campers and aims to create a peer environment where children with burn scars can connect. "We staff very heavily and take real good care of the kids. There's one counselor for two campers," Longnecker said.
He told council the organization typically advertises to burn units and via its website and social channels; prior to COVID the camp averaged about 70 summer campers and roughly 60 for winter sessions, and it is rebuilding attendance.
The Curling Royale committee raised almost $3,000 this year and presented the funds at the meeting; those funds will help cover transportation and camp fees so local children can attend without cost. Mayor McCrae thanked the committee and volunteers for supporting the program.
Why it matters: the camp provides medical and psychosocial supports for children recovering from burns and is funded largely through private donations and local fundraising, so local contributions directly expand access.
Speakers quoted
- "We operate on private donations... There is one counselor for two campers," Michael Longnecker, executive director, Great Lakes Burn Camp for Kids.
- "This will allow us to send a few kids to camp at no cost to them," (representative of) the Curling Royale committee as presented to council.
Next steps: the camp will use the donated funds to register and transport children to upcoming camp sessions; staff said they will continue outreach to local burn units and community partners for referrals.
Provenance: excerpt of Longnecker's remarks and the check presentation were recorded in the Feb. 24 meeting minutes and transcript (see provenance below).
