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Published: Sunday, Aug. 05, 2012 / Updated: Friday, Aug. 03, 2012 05:34 PM

Teen gives camp funds to Clover Area Assistance Center

When Rachel Park was 13, she wasn’t old enough to get a job, but she wanted to find a way to make money in the summer. She started a Summer Fun Camp for one week for a few neighborhood kids, ages 5 to 10, and charged a small fee.

Four years later, Rachel is still running a Summer Fun Camp, but some things have changed.

Rachel worked with 12 kids, some from outside her neighborhood, including three children from Charlotte.

She didn’t charge a fee to participate and didn’t make money for herself.

Instead, she asked the parents to make a donation that would go to Clover Area Assistance Center.

The Summer Fun Camp was held from 9 a.m. to noon each day for a week.

There were no electronics at this camp, just games, crafts, songs and Bible study.

One boy was so excited about going to camp, he had his parents drop him off at 7:15 a.m., so he could help Rachel set up for the day. The only problem was Rachel was still in bed.

On July 30, Rachel, her mom, Martha, and her two sisters, Haley and Emily, who helped Rachel with the Summer Fun Camp each day, presented Clover Area Assistance Center with $630.

“This summer, the best thing of all was realizing the Summer Fun Camp helped the children, parents and community, all at the same time,” she said.

Rachel is a rising junior at Clover High School.