Some 150,000 hours were supplied by volunteers to care for, entertain, educate and feed these 1000-plus children.
Without these volunteers, the camp would not be able to run subsidised camps for disadvantaged children.
The camp was started to cater for children from country areas because they lacked ready access to health and dental services, such as children in metropolitan areas could access.
These services were associated with a chance for the children to have a seaside holiday with children of their own age.
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The camp still recognises regional children are disadvantaged by distance.
However, health and dental services have been deleted from the camp's mission.
School camps during term provide the finance, which enables the subsidised camps to be held in the school holidays.
So far this year there has been no income from this source.
The camp is drawing on its reserves to keep it open until restrictions are eased.
In the July holidays they tried to have children at the camp, however, COVID-19 regulations on spacing meant they could only use one bed in four, and at that rate it was not financially viable to have camps.
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Since 1954 the Rotary Club of Benalla has enabled nearly 2000 from the Benalla District to attend these camps.
“This has been achieved through the wonderful sponsorship support from local individuals, organisations, businesses and club funds,” Rotary Club of Benalla member Kelly Macnamara said.
“The Rotary Club has also provided in-kind support through maintenance working bees at the camp over many years.”
It is hoped these students, their parents and friends will remember the great time they had at camp and respond to the plea for financial help from the camp’s chief executive officer Sandra Martin.
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“In order to secure the future of the camp, the Portsea Camp is having a fundraiser,” Ms Martin said.
“If you are able, we invite you to join in this effort by supporting us and recruiting others to this cause.
“Our hope is that we can raise the necessary funds to stay open for you for the summer of 2021 and beyond.
“We know that you, like us, will be needing camp more than ever as soon as it is safe, and we are committed to doing everything possible to make it happen.
“First and foremost, don’t give up hope.
“We really hope camp will survive this crisis just as we have survived threats in the past.
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“If you can afford to make a donation, please give what you can.
“In return, you will become our personal hero/heroine/otherwise-gendered heroic human and will be able to count yourself among the generous souls who helped protect the future camping experiences of our youth at a time of crisis.
“Your generosity will have a huge impact on our collective future.
“Thank you once again for your support and please feel free to contact me on (03) 5984 2333 or Portsea Camp Facebook page if you have any questions about the camp or the fundraiser.
“Keep our campfires burning.”
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