AUSTIN, Texas —
Update: Royal Family Kids Camp said as of May 29, it now has enough volunteers for the summer and it will not have to turn any kids away.
A popular summer camp for children in foster care is in need of volunteers. Otherwise, it may need to turn some kids away.
Representatives with the Royal Family Kids Camp of Austin say it's a huge opportunity – not just for the campers, but for the volunteers as well.
The work they do for the children gives them something to look forward to and has a major impact. But they couldn't do it without their volunteers – the people who step up and make the experience one to remember.
For five days during the summer, dozens of foster care children come together for the camp.
"They come, and they're kind of apprehensive. But when they get there, they see that we're loving and we're there to give them a good time. We have many activities that keep their attention," Co-director Debbie Watson said.
It gives the children a chance to take their minds off any potential problems and enjoy life as kids
"You can only imagine, in the foster care system, some of these children are very neglected or abused," Watson said. "This time that we provide, hopefully, will give them time to just think about nothing. 'I want to go to the lake. I want to fish, I want to have fun.'"
It takes an army of volunteers to make it all happen, from nurses to lifeguards and general camp counselors.
"I really cannot stress enough how much we want these volunteers. Because every single child who has been submitted to this camp I know needs to be at this camp," Kaitlin Camero said.
Camero started as a volunteer assistant and now works alongside the volunteer board as the placement coordinator. She said it's important they get more volunteers so the camp can welcome all the children it can, instead of being forced to turn any away.
"I know that it's going to be heartbreaking because for a lot of these children, they haven't been picked for things in their lives," Camero said. "So having to turn them away from camp is like us saying, 'You weren't good enough to be picked.' We know that's not the reason. But to these children, that's what they hear."
Staff at the camp want it to be a good experience for everyone. And with more volunteers, that can become a reality.
The camp is looking for about 10 to 20 volunteers. Volunteers will go through an interview process and background check.
The camp wants the volunteers on board by Friday, May 19. If you're interested, you can apply online.