Santa Maria Sun / School Scene

Circle V gets a big financial boost

BY AMY ASMAN

Members of St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church recently visited the Circle V Ranch Camp in the Santa Ynez Valley and presented a $10,000 check to camp operators, who belong to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Los Angeles Council.

Summer fun! Members of St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church presented the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Circle V Ranch Camp with a $10,000 donation for “camperships” to let children to experience this traditional stay-over summer camp. Left to right are Friends of Circle V members Paul and Nadine Melancon, Marilyn Coyle, camp director Ray Lopez, Friends founder Sally Corlett, Eleanor Fields, and St. Vincent de Paul Los Angeles Council Executive Director David Fields. Presenting the check from St. Mark’s are Rev. Randall Day, Cellar Classic co-chair Stephen Pepe and vestry members Polly Firestone Walker and Penny Knowles. PHOTO BY MIKE MESIKEP

The donation was part of the money raised at the third annual St. Mark’s Cellar Classic, an auction of rare and fine wines held in July. The donation will be used to send Santa Ynez Valley area children on scholarship to the camp in the summer of 2013.

Circle V Ranch Camp is located on 30 acres in the Los Padres National Forest near Cachuma Lake. There are eight Circle V Ranch Camp summer sessions offering six days and five nights of traditional, supervised fun for boys and girls ages 7 to 13. Campers enjoy activities such as hiking, swimming in the pool, learning about nature, archery, arts and crafts, painting, photography, playing games, and more. (There is no TV, radio, or Internet access available to the campers.)

This year the camp hosted more than 1,200 children. During autumn, winter, and spring, the ranch is available for rental to other nonprofit groups and organizations.

“It is no secret that your friends at St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church hold your work at Circle V Ranch Camp in the highest regard. ... You meet an important challenge—compassionately instilling hope in children and youth,” Rev. Randall Day, St. Mark’s priest and rector said in a prepared statement. “We are grateful that you welcome the involvement of our faith community in supporting your goals.”

Circle V Ranch Camp is one of more than 40 nonprofit organizations and programs St. Mark’s assisted this year. 

“We deeply appreciate the continuing support of St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church; and on behalf of the Circle V Ranch Camp staff, counselors, and most importantly, the kids; we are so grateful for this incredibly generous gift, [which] doubles the amount donated last summer,” said David Fields, executive director of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Los Angeles Council. 

For more information about the camp and all of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Los Angeles Council programs, visit svdpla.org.