KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A local non-profit is kicking their kids camp into high gear this week, doing more than just keeping kids busy during the summer months.
"It's awesome, the experience is really good," said 10-year-old Angel Lopez.
Angel is participating in Camp Wham for the second year in a row. It's a summer camp that gets kids ages six to 13 up and moving.
"I wanted to meet new people, to make new friends and be out in nature and the wilderness, exercise and have fun," said Lopez.
Camp Wham is not just all fun and games. It's also about helping young kids live a more positive lifestyle. This week, nearly 30 kids are attending.
"It's gotten bigger, even just from the first week that we did it this summer, to where we're at now with our kids, I mean, we're seeing the numbers go up which is obviously a good thing, it kind of tells me that we're doing something right," said Dustin Schroeder, Youth Development Coordinator, Mattie Rhodes Center.
The Mattie Rhodes Center started the kids camp three years ago, but for more than 120 years, the non-profit has been serving families in the Kansas City metro area.
The center offers more than just a place for kids to have fun. They provide support and therapy services to both children and adults.
"Our goal is to ultimately grow our young people, grow our families and develop our community," said Anthony Rea, Youth Development Coordinator, Mattie Rhodes Center.
The fully bilingual, bicultural center is the only one of its kind in the metro area. One of the centers main focuses is on developing kids and providing them with as many positive mentors as they can.
The Mattie Rhodes Center offers several programs for kids and their families in the summer and during the school year.
