Making Dreams Come True for Deserving Youth
For the fifteenth consecutive year, Volunteers of America Northern New England, the Maine Sheriffs' Association and the Maine D.A.R.E. Officers Association provided an innovative and successful tobacco, alcohol, drug and crime prevention program for Maine youth. Camp P.O.S.T.C.A.R.D. (Police Officers Striving To Create And Reinforce Dreams) is designed to benefit some of Maine's most deserving fifth and sixth graders through direct involvement and mentoring with a variety of law enforcement and criminal justice professionals. Learn how you can adopt a camper and make a dream come true.
For many of our campers, this represents his/her first camp experience and is a dream come true. Learn how you can make a dream come true by adopting a camper this summer. This popular and successful program has proven to be an important opportunity to build strong relationships and valuable life skills that serve our campers, their families, and their communities. The weeklong program will be held June 10-16 at the Maine YMCA Camp in Winthrop, Maine. We are grateful to the management and staff at the Maine YMCA Camp for their support of Camp P.O.S.T.C.A.R.D. and the children we serve.
The main goals of Camp P.O.S.T.C.A.R.D. are to establish positive bonds between the children and law enforcement and criminal justice professionals and to use that relationship to help reduce crime and the use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. In addition, this interaction helps to address any stereotypes that the children may have formed. The experience provides a safe environment that stresses appropriate role models, ideals and values. Campers are allowed and expected to share their thoughts, feelings and ideas and learn the importance of self-respect and respect for others, teamwork, self-control and dignity.
Local D.A.R.E. officers, law enforcement officers, school resource officers, school personnel and community members identify children who would benefit from the camp experience. The overall program is designed to coordinate and share information with the schools and community-based services that children will use when they finish camp. An important goal is to help empower children to take more control of and responsibility for their own decisions, actions and, ultimately, their future. The program also increases awareness for schools, parents and communities about the issues that are important to children.
There is no cost for any child to attend Camp P.O.S.T.C.A.R.D. As a result, the program depends on private and public donations of money, food and supplies. For example, Lincoln Financial Group, pictured at left, presents a very generous check for $2,500 to help make camp possible this summer. Thank you to all of our donors listed at the end of this page! In addition, most of the staff are volunteers or are on loan from their department or business for the week. In 2006, approximately150 children attended the program and more than 50 law enforcement professionals served as leaders. To date, well over 1,500 children from all 16 counties in Maine have benefited from the Camp P.O.S.T.C.A.R.D. experience.
Throughout the week, a variety of planned activities help children build self-esteem and leadership and decision-making skills. These include summer camp favorites such as sports, arts and crafts, swimming, boating, fishing, games and skits. We also offer a number of specialized team-building activities and events. For many of our campers, this is the first time they have experienced these kinds of activities that many of us take for granted. The dedicated staff and volunteers (many who return year after year) focus on helping the children be successful. Through this safe and positive environment, memories are created that last a lifetime.
Success stories are probably our favorite and most rewarding measurement tool. We hear from teachers, family members, clergy and other individuals associated with the children about their progress and success in school and the community. Several of our previous campers have also returned as camp leaders in training. These individuals bring a unique perspective to the program and prove to be wonderful role models for the children. In addition, law enforcement personnel have commented on how they learn many valuable lessons from the children. This is especially true in helping to more effectively identify and handle domestic situations. The overall result is a win-win-win situation for the campers, the officers and the community.
For more information about Camp P.O.S.T.C.A.R.D., please contact us at 207-373-1140 or help@voanne.org.
A Special Thank You to Our Major Sponsors For Making Dreams Come True
Associated Grocers of Maine · Auburn Lewiston Rotary Club · Barber Foods · Big Sky Bread Company · Bisson Moving and Storage · Burnham and Morrell Company · Coca-Cola · County of York · Donations in memory of Sheriff Edward J. Reynolds · Downeast Food Distributors · East End Kids Katering · Ellsworth Lioness Club · Ellsworth Rotary Club · Frito-Lay · George P. Davenport Trust Fund · Good Shepherd Food Bank · Hannaford Brothers · HP Hood · Kittery Police D.A.R.E. Program · Kittery Rotary Club · Knox County · Lincoln County Weed and Seed Program · Lincoln Financial Group · Maine Sheriffs' Association · Maine State Troopers Association · MBNA Foundation · Nine Wicket Foundation · Oakhurst Dairy · Participants in our "Adopt-a-Camper" Program · Penobscot County · People's Heritage Bank · Poland Spring Water Company · Portland Computer Copy · Quality Eggs of New England · Sabattus Elementary PTA · Scholastic Book Grants Program · Seltzer and Rydholm · Shaw's Supermarkets · State of Maine Summer Food Program · Union Trust · Union Trust Employees · Wal-Mart