K-JO 105.5 will hold the 12th annual Radio-A-Thon on Friday to benefit Camp Quality of Northwest Missouri. Camp Quality is a week-long summer camp for children diagnosed with cancer. K-JO Morning Personality Gregg Lynn will be broadcasting live from the St. Joseph Hy-vee from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Friday. Lynn said the camp is run entirely off of donations.
“They have over a hundred kids every year (and) it costs well over $1,000 per kid to send them to Camp Quality. They offer a summer camp experience for these kids that are very, very sick. They get to go fishing and boating and things that a lot of kids take for granted that these kids never get to do – they spend their whole weeks with doctors and nurses and doctor’s visits and sometimes can’t even go to school, but they get to go to camp for a week. Camp Quality also offers year-round support for the kids and their families with some outings and events for them to help out as well.”
Adam Nelson is the Co-Executive Director of Camp Quality of Northwest Missouri. Nelson said the camp, which started in 1985, offers a different aspect of treatment.
“There’s the actual medical treatment, which we know is very important, but then we think the emotional and support side of it is also important in the treatment process,” Nelson said. “This is just an avenue for those kids who missed out on getting to go to Boy Scout or Girl Scout camp or church camp – that they get the chance to go to a camp and experience some of these things. Our tagline is – ‘Letting kids with cancer be kids again’ – That’s what we’re doing. For a week, we’re taking (care) of the medical part of it for them. So they’re not worried about the doctor’s appointments, they’re not worried about (taking their) medication at the right time. They’re focused solely on just being a kid again and having fun.”
This year’s week of camp runs June 12th through the 17th. Nelson said funds raised during Friday’s Radio-A-Thon will go toward campground fees and the cost for campers to be able to attend the camp for free.
“I truly am blessed with the Northwest Missouri community and the surrounding state communities as well,” Nelson said. “They’ve supported us now for 31 years and we truly could not run Camp Quality and do all the things that we do for the kids diagnosed with cancer without the support of our community.”
The public is invited to visit Hy-vee on Friday and make a donation to Camp Quality, or call in a pledge to (816) 232-CAMP. They can also donate online anytime on the K-JO website.