The Alexandria Police Youth Camp in Kilmarnock on the Rappahanock River and the Chesapeake Bay, sustained damage from Hurricane Isabel to the tune of approximately $50,000. Damage at the camp is a loss the facility can ill afford.
The camp was built by, is maintained by, and run by volunteers from the Alexandria Police Department.
"Our main dock has been destroyed. One wall of our mess hall looks like a giant stuck his big toe through it and several buildings sustained damage to their roofs," said Investigator Dan Morris, the president of the camp's Board of Directors. "The one thing that is good about all of this is the timing. If that had happened in May or June, we would have a problem getting ready for camp next summer. Now, however, we have the time to repair everything if we can raise the money."
Each summer, the camp is a home away from home for hundreds of Alexandria children. Denise Gallagher's nine-year-old son, Conner, was a camper last summer. "It was his first camp experience without one of his parents," Gallagher said. "He certainly had some anxiety but the staff allowed him to call me and encouraged him. He made it because the new things that he tried and the good experiences outweighed his fear.
"The camp is wonderful because it is free or so low cost that no child is excluded and they have an opportunity to spend time fishing and playing in a beautiful natural setting," she said.
"The camp is great for the kids and for the officers who volunteer," Morris said. "I was working at the corner of King and Washington streets the other day and saw a young girl walk across the street. She looked at me and then looked away and when she looked back again, there was a huge smile on her face because she remembered me from camp. Officers come home and the kids remember them from camp and as friends. It's just a terrific place to spend part of a summer," he said.
FORMER CITY MANAGER Vola Lawson has been a supporter of the camp for many years. She said, "The camp is a wonderful resource for the children in Alexandria. I visited at least a couple of times when I was city manager and it was a joy to watch the children enjoying boating and swimming and fishing in this beautiful setting. We must do all we can to help them rebuild."
Morris has applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for disaster relief funds, but is not optimistic. "They classified us as a small business," he said. "We really aren't. We're just a little nonprofit camp for kids. We will see what happens."
In the meantime, donations are needed. Checks should be made payable to the Alexandria Police Youth Camp and sent to the attention of Dan Morris at 2003 Mill Road Alexandria, Va 22314.