A local group and 70 volunteers rolled out the red carpet for nearly 50 local children who have survived neglect, abuse and trauma this summer. The local chapter of “For the Children” held Royal Family Kids (RFK) Camp, which has been serving Marion kids since 2001 and added a mentoring club program in 2019.
At the first camp, For The Children served 15 children. This year, they served 49 children ages seven through 11 who were referred by Marion County Children’s Services.
Past Campers Return to Help Other Children
“The biggest measure of success is the seven young people who graduated from the program and returned as volunteers in 2025,” says Elizabeth Moore, Chapter Co-Director.
It takes a community-wide effort to serve these children. To care for vulnerable children, RFK has one counselor for every two kids and additional staff to make the ratio one-to-one. There are always a minimum of two adults with children at the camp and the mentoring club.
The Marion RFK chapter is completely volunteer-run. The volunteers are trained to support children with trauma. A panel of returning campers shared why they are giving back as volunteers.
“Seeing the young people who returned to give back recruit others in their lives is a true testament to the power of what we do,” said Moore.
Impact of the Camp on Children
One Children’s Services case worker did a home visit with three kids after camp.
“One could not stop tasking about next year. Before they went I was explaining they would be treated like royalty. So I asked [a child] if she felt like a princess, but she said, ‘No…. I felt like a Queen!’” the caseworker said.
Royal Family Kids Camp Depends on Donations
Moore said the campers attend at no cost due to generous donations. It takes about $800 per camper.
Rick and Barb Scott special handmade pillowcases for each child. Each camper received new clothing, swimsuits and shoes so they can play and then take their outfits home as they start the school year.
The caseworker reported, “They loved all the adults. They showed me their stuff….the shoes [are] a HUGE help for this family for the school year. They have seven kids in the house and six will be going to…school. The camp’s amazing!” the caseworker reported.
Sponsorships Support Camps
RFK receives grants and sponsorships, such as a grant from Youth Engaged in Philanthropy in 2025. Additional funds have come from the Y-Men, United Way, and Marion Community Foundation, Marion Women’s Club Home donated bathing suits for all 2025 campers, and the organization was selected by Hickory Grove Lake RV Park & Campground as their nonprofit group. For the past several years, CRT Mechanical and Self-Storage provided Christmas presents for club participants.
The biggest fundraiser is the annual Starfish Gala, which has strong community and business support.
“RFK and the support received is a picture of being MarionMade! and the necessity to support local. Local businesses offer discounts and donations to the organization. They support fundraising efforts, and host drives to encourage community support,” Moore said. “RFK encourages others to support local businesses, recognizing that they directly impact the success of each year of camp and club.”
While the camp has concluded for this summer, they are continuing to recruit children for the mentor program. They also are working to recruit more male counselors, which would allow the camp to serve more children.
For More Info:
Contact royalfamilykidsmarion@gmail.com or 740-802-3401 for details on how to volunteer.
Follow them on (1) Facebook.
National Organization: For The Children.
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MarionMade! is a program of Marion Technical College.
