Kids alive trip planners looking for donations

June 10, 2002|by MARLO BARNHART

marlob@herald-mail.com

While this summer's planned bus trip for kids to Paramount's Kings Dominion may be two months away, Clara Broadus and Dot Bell are busy getting the word out now for donations so no youngster will be disappointed.

The sisters are also worrying a bit about the weather after last summer's rain delay.

"We're planning to fill four buses to the Richmond, Va., park on Aug. 10," Broadus said. The cost per child is $49.

Last year, Broadus and Bell faced a rare rain-out for the 2001 trip to Six Flags amusement park in New Jersey. Fortunately, the bus company rescheduled for the following Saturday and the park honored the pre-purchased tickets, Broadus said.

This year's trip is open to children ages 10 and older. Broadus said those younger than 10 may go but must be accompanied by an adult.

Because of the price of bus rental and park tickets, the cost per child has soared to $49. With four buses each with 47 children aboard, than $9,200 must be raised.

Fund-raisers and donations support the trip. Businesses and individuals will be solicited for donations, Broadus said.

Money that remained after last year's trip was placed in a bank account set up for the annual trip and will be applied to this summer's expenses, Broadus said.

For more than 16 years, another community-based volunteer group collected donations to send youngsters to theme parks and amusement areas.

When that effort ended several summers ago, it left a void, Broadus said. She was a chaperone on many of those earlier trips and wanted them to continue.

To make that happen, she and Bell organized For Our Kids Sake and began planning bus trips for each summer.

To sign up, call Broadus at 301-739-2557.

Donations may be deposited at any branch of Hagerstown Trust Co. The For Our Kids Sake account number is 141518.

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