CAMP QUALITY

 By Sr. Agent Wayne Parker

     The Louisiana Wildlife Agents Association is a non-profit organization.  Each year the Louisiana Wildlife Agents Association allows each region at least five hundred dollars to donate to the charity of its choice.  In 2002, Region Four voted unanimously to put all of its contribution toward Camp Quality.

     Camp Quality is a camping and support program for children with cancer.  The camp provides a week of fun for campers and a week of rest for their parents.  Children of any age who can tolerate a week away from their family or the hospital are invited to attend the camp.  Each child is assigned a companion who supports and encourages the camper throughout the week.  There is no cost to the children or their families.  All funds are generated within the community. (Source Camp Quality)

     This year's camp was held at the Caney Conference Center in Minden, Louisiana.  Sr. Agent James Parish and I were blessed by spending an hour with the campers during one of their activities.  We arrived at the camp to find no one around except the cooks who directed us to the lake bank.  There we found 39 campers with their companions floating in boats made from cardboard boxes and duct tape.  As you can see in the pictures, some of these vessels were holding several persons and had been floating for some time.  Some of the boats were named.  For example:  "USS Red Neck Chick Magnet", "Who's Ya Daddy?" and "Da Boat".  We announced our arrival by shouting "Game Warden! We need to see everyone's life jacket".  It got quiet for only a second until the campers could see that we were there on friendly terms.  All campers were found to be wearing their life jackets. 

     One camper, Michael, gave James and I "light sabers" made out of balloons.  He also stated that he had seen the movie "Spider Man" twice. 

     Sergeant Bobby Buatt, of Region Five, and his wife, Nita, have a child that has been to Camp Quality every year for at least eight years.  Halee Hanks is twenty years old and looks forward to seeing some of her best friends every year at Camp Quality.  I was able to meet Bobby and Nita at the LWAA Convention this past summer after they read about Region Four's donation to Camp Quality in the minutes of an Association board meeting.  May God bless their family.

     We were also able to meet the director of Camp Quality, Carolyn Eads, of Monroe.  James and I presented her with a pledge of five hundred dollars.  Sergeant Cecil Wells later delivered a check to Johnny Huntsman, who is a big supporter of Camp Quality.  Johnny Huntsman also serves as Master of Ceremonies during some of the activities at the camp. 

     I would like to see the Louisiana Wildlife Agents Association be able to increase the allowance for each region’s charitable donation.  Yearly contributions to charities are funded by the raffle account.  As an agent, you can do your part by selling tickets for our yearly gun raffle.

     Camp Quality has a long list of campers, family, friends, and supporters.  I am pleased that the agents of Region Four chose to support a cause that should be close to all of our hearts; kids with cancer.