Warren County Sheriff’s Summer Youth Camp will be held after sponsors come forward

FRONT ROYAL –After notifying parents last week that the annual Warren County Sheriff’s Summer Youth Camp would be cancelled this summer due to cost increases and a budget shortfall, Sheriff Michael Arnold announced Thursday that the event would be held as scheduled, thanks to the generous donations of some new sponsors.

Sheriff Arnold issued a media release Thursday announcing that the camp would be from July7-11, with around 40 campers, ad originally slated.  He wrote, “Since the initial cancelation announcement, we have received donations from a vendor of ours and local businesses to come up with the money that was needed to proceed.”

Sheriff Arnold went on to say that he wanted to thank Cole Bland from Department Calendars, Hair Station, Andrews Grading and Excavating LLC, Power-Comm Electrical and Communications, Culligan of Front Royal and G & M Auto Sales for their contributions to the camp program.

The release stated that several local businesses help with the camp by contributing food and other needed items each year, which Arnold said is greatly appreciated.

Joe Andrews, owner of Andrews Grading and Excavating LLC said that he had donated in the past by advertising in the sheriff’s calendar but wanted to help out when he heard there was a chance the annual camp might not happen. “I’m doing what I’ve always done—giving back to the community that has given so much to me,” Andrews said.

He smiled, adding in jest, “I also figured that I’d beat the highest donation in an attempt to start a bidding war!”

The Sheriff’s Summer Youth Camp has been donation-based since 2004, according to the WCSO’s press release; anyone wishing to contribute to the camp program can  make checks payable to WCSO Summer Youth Camp.