The Santa Clarita Valley chapter of the Salvation Army still has spots available for its low-cost youth camps, organizers said Wednesday.
The camps are hosted by the nonprofit organization and offer a number of low-cost options for families who aren’t able to afford the $185 fee, with costs ranging as low as $20 based on financial need.
The camps take place at the following locations: The Salvation Army Camp at Mt. Crags; Camp Gilmore; and Camp Wilderness, which are all located in Malibu Canyon. The camps begin June 17.
Envoy Jerry Bloom is officer-in-charge of the Santa Clarita Valley Corps of the Salvation Army and has lived in the Santa Clarita Valley since his family moved to Newhall in 1959.
A Hart High grad and Vietnam-era veteran who served six years in the United States Navy, Bloom is an ordained minister and has worked for the Salvation Army in its many social service programs, including adult drug and alcohol rehabilitation and spiritual programs, since 1997.
Four years ago, Jerry, along with his wife, Laura, accepted their current appointment as leaders of the Salvation Army Santa Clarita Valley Corps, which is located at 22935 Lyons Ave., Newhall.
The cost of the camps to Salvation Army is approximately $450 for the week, but the organization charges the $185 per person for those able, with a flexible price structure based on need, according to Bob Wachsmuth, a retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department sergeant who volunteers to help the program.
Salvation Army officials determine the qualifications for a family’s eligibility for a reduced-cost camp, as well as the possibility for total scholarships to attend.
All camps are ages 8-12, and the teen camps are for children ages 13-17. Last year, more than 250 local children went to summer camp from Santa Clarita.
“We want to provide a wonderful camp experience for those who might never get this opportunity,” Wachsmuth said Wednesday.More information about the camps is available at campmtcrags.com. For information about the camps, you can call 661-210-1037 and speak to Laura Bloom directly.
