Kids on Public Lands

Description

Where: Camp Conrad/Chinnok - Barton Flats

This is the 14th Annual KOPL event sponsored by Anaheim YMCA, Anaheim Police Dept and San Bernardino National Forest. This event hosts 100 underpriveledged inner city kids from Anaheim. We are looking for both men and women volunteers to drive the kinds in 4 wheel drive vehicles. All those wanting to participate please give James Larocque a call @ 949-433-7468 and he will get you signed up for the event.  

 Kids on Public Lands

Camp Conrad/Chinnock

Barton Flats, San Bernardino National Forest

Kids on Public Lands, KOPL, is an event meant to give children the opportunity to spend a day in the San Bernardino National Forest and learn about off-highway trails, natural resources, and the plants and animals in the forest. It is organized and put on by a group for Forest Service Volunteers in conjunction with the San Bernardino National Forest Association, several 4x4 clubs, the Anaheim “Cops 4 Kids” program (Formerly PAL) and the Anaheim YMCA.

The program takes children from the Anaheim area in Orange County who are a part of the Anaheim YMCA after school education and recreation program. These children are in a program to help with the learning skills and to make sure they will meet the level of education necessary to pass into the next grade. As a reward for a certain level of participation and excellence, they are given the opportunity to attend the KOPL event. The program has been an outstanding success for the children, parents and YMCA. The Anaheim Police Department’s PAL program provides additional adult staffing and insurance coverage for the event.

We bring up fifty boys on a Saturday and fifty girls on Sunday to Camp Conrad/Chinnock in the San Bernardino National Forest near Barton Flats. Each day the group is split into two. One group goes on a trail ride in a 4x4 vehicle on the designated dirt trails in the mountains. The boys have men drivers and women drivers drive the girls. It’s one driver to one child. A medical person goes on the trail with each group as well as a trail guide, mechanics and several backup vehicles. Members of the press travel in 4x4 vehicles with the children. The other half of the group goes on tours which includes learning about the animals and plants of the forest and the equipment and tools our firefighters use to protect us and the forest.

A hot BBQ lunch with drinks and dessert is provided to the children and the volunteers. After lunch the two groups split again and participate in the opposite activity from the morning.

About 4:30 everyone meets, the children load the bus, and head back down the hill, tired, but with many positive memories and experiences of a fun filled day.

This year’s event will be chaired by Stacey Harrold. The planning and operations will be directed by Tracy Lenocker and Marilyn Russell. The duties are divided into ten separate committees including YMCA rep, PAL rep, Meals, Logistics, Donations, Activities, Communications, Media Relations, Trails, Transportation, and Medical.

This activity involved about 100 volunteers, divided equally between event volunteers and trail and tour volunteers. Last year they donated 2200 hours. 1600 hours were from OVH members and the remaining were from 4x4 club members and the agencies involved.

Insurance is provided by PAL, the YMCA and the KOPL. There are some overlapping coverage’s.

Transportation costs are covered by the YMCA and PAL. We typically raise $5000 in cash to cover the all of the costs. This year we may be getting food donations from the owners of Ruby’s.

Please contact Stacey Harold @      staceyyh@verizon.net