Kids’ new move is for fun

When Steven and Stephanie’s mom grabbed her kids and fled her physically abusive husband last year, she thought it would teach him a lesson. But when he didn’t ask her to bring the family back, she and the kids ended up homeless, sleeping at three battered-women’s shelters during a nine-month period.

Despite losing his stepfather, the only father figure he’d known and the one who used to take him fishing and to Angels games, Steven said he is happier now that his mom is single. “I knew what was happening. I saw it, when they would get into fights, a lot. It made me mad, and even madder because I couldn’t do anything. Me and my sister just watched.�

Going to camp has helped the children, whose mother requested that only their first names be used, temporarily escape their troubles.

“Camp for Steven and Stephanie gives them a sense of normalcy and a chance to be kids. They just get to go and leave all their problems and situations down the mountain,� said Shawn Ward, who has spent 28 summers at an area camp, first as a camper and now as a camp director. “They can start on a clean slate. That’s the best part of camp, besides that it’s a life-changing experience.�

The siblings will attend camp again this summer, thanks to the Los Angeles Times Summer Camp Fund. They are very excited to return to the peaceful getaway. Steven is looking forward to trying to make another bull’s-eye in archery, while his sister hopes to choreograph another Blink-182 song for the dance contest.

“Camp was great. I did a lot of things I usually don’t do: archery; canoeing -- I had never done that before, that was fun; bike riding, camp songs around the campfire,� said Steven, who was kicked out of one shelter when he misbehaved. He had to leave the family for two weeks and stay with his grandmother.

The last couple of years have been tough. The kids had to testify about what they saw at home in a custody investigation. Their stepfather has refused to have any contact with them since their mother left him. Making new friends and keeping up in elementary school have been challenging during the seven moves in one year -- the most recent to a two-bedroom apartment that their mom said is not in the best neighborhood. Both have to attend summer school after camp so they can catch up.

But things are looking up. A month ago, their mother landed an administrative job that will help her transition off welfare. She also plans to look for a new place to live in a safer neighborhood near their school.

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About 11,000 children will go to camp this summer thanks to the $1.4 million raised last year.

The annual fund-raising campaign is part of the Los Angeles Times Family Fund, a fund of the McCormick Tribune Foundation, which this year will match the first $1 million in contributions at 50 cents on the dollar.

Donations are tax-deductible. For more information, call (213) 237-5771. To make credit card donations, visit

www.latimes.com/summercamp. To send checks, use the attached coupon. Do not send cash.

Unless requested otherwise, gifts of $25 or more are acknowledged in The Times.