The men and women charged with protecting our border are once again helping local children and families affected by cancer and other life challenges.
Thanks to a fundraiser held by the U.S. Border Patrol, a few more kids will be going to Camp Good Days and Special Times.
"That's a very worthy cause and we're just really happy to be a part of it", said Matthew James Densmore. The agent in charge of the Buffalo Border Patrol Station says since 2004, the yearly benefit has raised nearly $28,000 for the non-profit organization.
Densmore says the Border Patrol is a part of the community.
"We live here, we work here and play here just like everybody else. And...it's important to state that it's not just Border Patrol Agents that are involved in this. In fact there are a number of law enforcement agencies in the whole area that get involved...to include our international partners, people from Canada come down and play. It's really a great time," said Densmore.
Despite the name, Camp Good Days and Special Times is not just for the summer. Regional Director Lisa Donato Booz says the organization provides year-round programming for kids.
"These children are dealing with not just the diagnosis of cancer. They're dealing with the treatment as well. So that you have the chemotherapy, the radiation and the surgeries you have to deal with [and] we are giving them a respite away from that. They're allowed to have fun. Every picture you see of the kids that participate are constantly smiling and that's because people like the U.S. Border Patrol is helping us raise money to provide these programs free of charge," said Donato Booz.
The programs cost about $1,000 per child each year. Donato Booz says locally, Camp Good Days and Special Times helps about 1,500 kids.
"And we don't just help children with cancer. We help children with cancer, children that have sibling or parent with cancer, and children who have lost a parent or sibling to cancer," said Donato Booz.
More information is available online at CampGoodDays.org.