Northwest Kiwanis Camp for Special Needs Children Receives Big Boost with Grant from Bill and Melinda Gates

PORT ANGELES, Wash. -- The continuing development of the Northwest Kiwanis Camp for children with special needs took a major step forward today with the award of a $55,000 grant from Bill and Melinda Gates.

Funds will be applied toward the construction of a new septic system, the only uncompleted piece of the camp's utility infrastructure. The current system is too small, making it costly and difficult for the camp to host large groups. The completion of this project will permit a more extensive and broader use of the camp and allow for continuing development of camp facilities.

"Soil conditions at the site force the utilization of an 'alternative design' system in order to meet County and State Department of Health requirements, a much more costly system than originally anticipated," John Summers, Camp Board President and member of the Kiwanis Club of Port Angeles, said. "This is a real boost. With this grant from Bill and Melinda Gates, we now have more than 70% of the $110,000 needed for the system and gives us confidence the monies needed to complete the project can be raised yet this year."

Northwest Kiwanis Camp's mission is to provide a summer camping experience for emotionally, physically and/or developmentally challenged children of Northwest Washington and to develop a campsite tailored to meet their special needs. The camp was organized in 1993, as the outgrowth of a program begun in 1989 by the Sequim-Dungeness Kiwanis Club to provide a summer camp experience for special needs children from the area. It is a nonprofit organization comprised of six Kiwanis Clubs from Clallam, Jefferson, and Pierce counties.

To date more than $160,000 in donations from supporting Kiwanis Clubs, individuals and local foundations, thousands of dollars in donated materials and more than 15,000 hours of volunteer labor by Kiwanians and others have been expended in the development and operation of the camp.