The “Friends of Piru” is a non-profit 501(c) organization focused on helping youth attending the Piru Elementary School. This year, Friends of Piru have committed to assist the school with sending their entire 5th grade student body for a week of resident outdoor education and leadership training in Santa Ynez (Santa Barbara County). The camp begins in mid-January.
The name of the camp is Rancho Alegre. How fitting… that our children are going to break out of traditional boundaries and expand their learning in the beauty and comfort of the Santa Ynez Mountains.
We need your help. You can imagine the expenses involved in busing an entire 5th grade student body to the mountains for a week? This portion of their education is not covered by the school district. The teachers have been organizing fund-raisers throughout the entire year. Of course, the current economic crisis has limited the ability of some traditional benefactors to help out.
Your neighborhood students have had bake sales, barbeques, and raffles. Each student has been responsible for earning money to attend the trip.
Time is approaching and we are in a difficult position. We have rallied the Fillmore and Piru community to fund the needed expenses that go above and beyond what the students have contributed.
Our dilemma: There are ten 5th grade students who desperately need your sponsorship for the camp. The direct cost is $250 per student. Please, we don’t want to leave them behind, and are asking everyone in Fillmore and Piru to help. Think about a camp experience that you had or wished for? Now is your chance, we have families without students even splitting sponsorships with other families, church or service groups.
On Friday December, 5th, Fillmore Police Chief Tim Hagel attended Piru Elementary School. He presented the school with two sponsorship checks totaling $500. Captain Hagel explained that the Sheriff Deputies serving Piru, heard of the school’s plight, and overnight the Deputies collected $250 out of their pockets.
In addition, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Cops Running For Charity held a special meeting on Thursday, December 4th, and approved a check for another $250 sponsorship. We need ten more donations of $250.
After the check presentation, Captain Hagel told Friends of Piru and Principal Duborow that the Rancho Alegre Outdoor Leadership Camp is the element needed to help raise great young leaders. He explained that number one is the guidance by the family, number two the school and community and number three is the friendship and mentoring by police.
Hagel said, “It is so important that we (police) support this cause that Piru School has championed for. We need to get to these children by 3rd grade and stay committed to them, mentoring them and befriending them throughout their journey of those uncertain years growing up.
As police, we can’t just show up when they are in Middle School and say, hi kids we want to be your friends now, so be good citizens.” Captain Hagel plans on visiting the children when they are attending the camp. He said, “we cant just place walls around students and call it a class, we need, and must get these kids to see the outside world to round out their education. By doing this we can help make great young adults and in turn nurture a safe community. It’s not advanced math, spend $250 dollars and change a child’s life.”
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Fillmore Station has partnered with the Piru School and the Friends of Piru to volunteer their staff and deputies at the Fillmore Police Station to be stewards in accepting sponsorship donations at the front counter. All donations are 100%tax-deductible. Please make any checks out to “Friends of Piru”
Sponsorship Donations are accepted at The Fillmore Police Station located at 524 Sespe Avenue in Fillmore (805-524-4438) or the Piru Elementary School, 3811 East Center Street, Piru. The School can be contacted at 805-521-1709. Just tell them you want to help with sending the 5th grade class to outdoor school. Please help!