Posted on Thursday, July 06, 2006
Third Graders’ Restaurant Raises $4,000 for Miracle Camp
What started as a simple classroom assignment for third graders at Gulf Breeze Elementary School turned into a lesson with the power to change lives – their own and those of the children who will benefit from their donation. The class recently presented a check in the amount of $4,000 to Sacred Heart Health System’s Miracle Camp, all made possible by their imagination, hard work and the creation of their restaurant enterprise, the “Jazzy Jellyfish Café.”
“The children’s donation will definitely make a difference,” said Bambi Provost, Miracle Camp director. “It is a wonderful contribution that will be used to help fund the Pediatric Cancer Camp.”
The students in Leslie Jolly’s class had been working hard since October to plan, advertise and operate their restaurant. During the planning process, they researched several charitable organizations and were intrigued by the Miracle Camp, a camping and retreat center for chronically- and terminally-ill children and adults.
“The students really liked the idea of Miracle Camp because it was for kids, and it was local,” said Leslie Jolly, teacher and CEO of the Jazzy Jellyfish Café. “The kids were beyond excited when they presented the check. It was an incredible experience.”
Originally conceived as an idea for a Halloween party, the plan flourished into a unique way to incorporate the curriculum. The restaurant, which served Italian cuisine Thursday nights in April, taught the kids multiplication tables, letter writing, cursive writing, and life skills. Most importantly, the students learned what it means to make a difference.
Their donation will be specially used to help fund two pediatric cancer camps in September and January – the “Fall Festival of Fun,” for kids age seven and under and “Cancer, Kids and Sibs,” for kids age 8 and up.
Established in 2002, Miracle Camp provides a premier camp and retreat center for chronically and/or terminally ill children and adults of all ages, as well as individuals who are physically and/or emotionally challenged, regardless of financial barriers or physical concerns. The Camp offers climate-controlled facilities, with a dormitory that sleeps up to 36 people, a dining hall, first aid/medical center, pool, fishing pond, a central campfire area, and more.
Day camps or overnight stays, retreats, meetings and conferences can be arranged at Miracle Camp. To schedule a day camp or overnight stay, call Bambi Provost, director of Miracle Camp, at (850) 944-1677.
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