Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Zumba Fundraiser for Ronald McDonald Adopt-A-Camper Program

In its third year, The Arrowhead Newspaper's Zumba Fundraiser Event is scheduled for Saturday, March 16.

Registration begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday with Zumba scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. in the Souderton High School Cafeteria (625 Lower Road, Souderton, Pa.).

For $10, or $7 for children 12 and under or students with an I.D., attendees can enjoy an hour and half of Zumba with instructors from the Indian Valley YMCA for the Ronald McDonald Adopt-A-Camper Program.

Each Summer the Arrowhead Newspaper's faculty adviser Stacey Aronow attends the Ronald McDonald Camp at Camp Timber Tops in the Poconos. It's a week where nearly 200 children battling some type of cancer and their siblings enjoy a week of games, laughter and fun in an effort to depart from their daily struggles.

Aronow runs the theater program at the camp and also is a cabin counselor, keeping care of the children over night.

"These are children who have gone through a lot of suffering. This is an opportunity for them to be themselves despite any physical limitations," Aronow said. "I am never as happy as I am when I'm there."

When Aronow came back to share with the students who run the Arrowhead newspaper her experience at the camp, the students were eager to help those campers Aronow grew to love so much.

In addition to Zumba, attendees can enter raffles for prizes or compete in the silent auction for a signed Jrue Holiday framed photograph. Last year, $3,700 was raised for the Adopt-A-Camper charity, which sponsors cancer patients camp tuition for $500 each.

Ronald McDonald Houses across America offer a 'home-away-from-home' for cancer patients families, if the hospital where their child is receiving care is far from their own home.