Camp Joy El partners with Angel Tree ministry

While many children today are in high risk situations for becoming drug abusers, expressing violent behaviors, or becoming prison inmates, the children of incarcerated parents are one of the highest risk groups. Because of this statistic, Chuck Colson's Prison Fellowship Ministry developed its Angel Tree program. Angel Tree reaches out to the children of incarcerated parents through various means, one of which is its Angel Tree camping program. Angel Tree provides prisoners' children with a free week of summer camp at a Christian camp. For most prisoners' kids, summer camp is only a dream, but through partnerships with churches and Christian camps, Angel Tree makes that dream a reality for many children every summer.

During the week of Aug. 14 to18, Camp Joy El will be partnering with Angel Tree camping and a church in the Washington D.C. area to provide a week of Angel Tree summer camp for children from the Washington D.C. area. Camp Joy El has been partnering with Angel Tree for several years to bring Angel Tree kids to its own camping programs, but this summer marks the first time that an entire week will be dedicated to providing camp for only Angel Tree kids.

"Rolling hills, green grass, wildlife and trees are something that many of these children are not regularly exposed to, let alone many activities that we regularly perform in the outdoors," explained Aaron Ziebarth, Executive Director at Joy El Ministries. "We want these children to have the summer camp experience in a safe environment where they can learn many things about nature as well as their Creator. Camp Joy El is an excellent place to do just that. We are looking forward to providing this summer camp experience knowing that it will positively impact these children."

To learn more about Angel Tree camping, visit that ministry's website at www.angeltree. org or contact Camp Joy El at 369-4539.