Subaru of Kennesaw Presents Share the Love Hometown Charity Check to Camp Twin Lakes

As the school year starts winding down towards a summer break, kids everywhere are looking forward to the fun that awaits them at summer camp. There will be days filled with swimming, hiking, zip-lining, kayaking, horseback riding, story-telling and maybe a little mischief making. All kids love fresh air and excitement but what can a child with special needs expect to do at a traditional away camp designed for adventure?

At Camp Twin Lakes, the answer is EVERYTHING. According to Haley, a camp counselor, “We like to say, ‘welcome to Camp Twin Lakes where you are no longer special,’ because kids get to focus on their opportunity for success - not their challenge.” For nearly 25 years the organization has been providing life-changing camp experiences to Georgia’s children with life threatening illnesses, disabilities, and other life challenges. Each year, thousands of campers and volunteers head to CTL-Rutledge, CTL- Will-A-Way, and CTL-Camp Dream for week-long summer sessions and year-round weekend retreats. Annually, Camp Twin Lakes serves more than 10,000 campers, leverages support from 3,500 volunteers, and subsidizes 80% of the direct camp costs ($800) for every camper served.

On Thursday, April 13th, Subaru of Kennesaw General Manager, Louis Kaissieh, presented Cheryl Belair and Merrick Bonner of Camp Twin Lakes, with a check for $20,000, which will fund 4 cabins housing 10 campers each. The donation was made possible through the Subaru Share the Love Event that ran 11/17/16 – 1/3/17, and provided each customer purchasing a new Subaru the opportunity to donate $250 to the charity of their choice. “Share the Love” is part of the Subaru Love Promise; a commitment Subaru makes with their retailers to support the communities in which they work and live.

Camp Twin Lakes collaborates with nearly 60 different nonprofit organizations, each serving a different population, to create customized programs that teach campers to overcome obstacles and grow in their confidence and capabilities. Since its opening, Camp Twin Lakes has welcomed more than 100,000 children and volunteers. The joy demonstrated by the campers is priceless. As Director of Camping Services, Dan Mathews, puts it, “Camp Twin Lakes campers constantly comment on how powerful it is to feel normal, to be one of the group, and not to stand out because of their various illnesses or challenges. Kids build camaraderie and friendships that will last a lifetime, not to mention support systems that will see them through their hard times back at home, which often entail doctor’s appointments, hospital visits and ongoing treatments.”

Last year 316 campers traveled from their homes in Cobb County to a Camp Twin Lakes location for the chance “to just be a kid.” The customer response during he 2016 event was overwhelming and Subaru of Kennesaw has already named Camp Twin Lakes, along with Beyond Limits Therapeutic Riding, as their Share the Love Hometown Charities for 2017. For more information on how you can support or register a child for Camp Twin Lakes, please visit http://www.camptwinlakes.org.