01/02/2026
***** We hope all of our families had a wondeeful Holiday! We have some important information for you all regarding Summer Camp below *****
Dear Families of Jim Thorpe Summer Recreation Campers,
This communication from the Jim Thorpe Rotary Club serves to update past, present and future families of our Rotary Summer Recreation Camp. Our local club has dedicated the fall months towards securing grants and donations committed to sustaining our summer camp opportunities for working families in the Jim Thorpe School District.
We have attached a list of long-term and new business sponsors for your review. If your family values the Rotary Summer Camp mission and the contributions of many local businesses, please consider sharing your appreciation to these generous Jim Thorpe Area enterprises.
Every contribution no matter the size-helps us ensure that no child misses out on this experience because of financial barriers. Will you help us continue this 30-year tradition of investing in the children of Jim Thorpe? Your gift today will provide meals, activities, and memories that last a lifetime. Your financial gift to the Jim Thorpe Rotary Charitable Fund is tax deductible and can be mailed to the Jim Thorpe Rotary Club, P.O. Box 103, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229.
For almost 30 years, the Jim Thorpe Summer Recreation Camp has been a safe, fun, and enriching place for our community’s children to spend their summers. Founded by Randy Smith and hosted by the Jim Thorpe Rotary Club, the camp has served 4,500 children and grown into a beloved tradition that gives kids the chance to learn, play, and build friendships that last well beyond the summer months.
Last year, 125 children in grades 1 through 5 joined us for eight weeks of camp (four days per week). For just $50 for the summer, each child received breakfast and lunch every day, along with a full schedule of educational and recreational activities—both indoors and outdoors. Our camp is led by certified teachers with specialties in STEM and early learning, ensuring that kids not only have fun but also continue growing academically and socially throughout the summer.
This program is especially important for working families in need. The camp is the only summer learning program that takes place in our area, a geography that lacks affordable and reliable childcare for school age children. Over 50% of the children who attend are from low-income households. For them, the camp provides not just meals and activities, but opportunities they might not otherwise have.
The true cost of running the camp is about $36,000 each year. Registration fees cover only a small fraction of that amount. The rest is made possible by the generosity of people and businesses in our community who believe in giving kids a summer full of joy, growth, and opportunity. The Jim Thorpe Rotary is pleased to announce that Bennett Family Properties has generously pledged $5000 dollars to serve as naming rights sponsor for the 2026 Rotary Summer Recreation Camp. As a result, our 2026 camp will be officially called the Jim Thorpe Rotary Summer Camp Presented by Bennett Family Properties.
With gratitude,
The Jim Thorpe Rotary Club
Thank-you to our long-term supporters:
Jim Thorpe Area School District
Jim Thorpe Borough
Jim Thorpe Lions Club
Jim Thorpe National Bank
The Mauch Chunk Trust Company
Penn Forest Township
Lehigh Carbon Community College
and to our new sponsorships:
Annie’s Ice Cream
Bear Mountain Reality
Bennett Family Properties
Carbon County Community Foundation 20/20 Circle
Carefree Lawns
Dom N Ali Family Restaurant
Families Behind the Badge Children’s Foundation
Goldberg Plumbing Heating & A/C
Highland Beverage
Holly Heintzelman, Esq.
Inn at Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe Trolley
Julios Pizza and Family Restaurant
Maitre Jacques
Mauch Chunk Pharmacy
Mountain Vista Real Estate
Pencor
Penn Forest Garage
Pocono Whitewater
Rapa Law Office
Roberti & Roberti Law Offices
Smith’s Country Store
St. Lukes University Health Network
Thorpe 903 Restaurant
Union Publick House
The Law Offices of Velitsky & Frycklund
Wb-Electric
Wild Elder and Cider Co. g
