Evening of fun, music to benefit Camp CaPella

BANGOR – Friday will be a special evening at the Bangor Civic Center, and not just because humorist Tim Sample and musician Noel Paul Stookey are on the bill.

The 7:30 p.m. show, with silent auction and show seating beginning at 6 p.m., will benefit United Cerebral Palsy’s Camp CaPella summer program for children with special needs.

Tickets are $22 in advance at the box office, through Ticketmaster or at 990-4444, or $26 the day of the show. Light appetizers will be served and a cash bar will be available.

Promotion material for the special event features a letter by Katie Guernsey, who hopes that a large crowd will turn out for an entertaining evening benefiting a worthy cause:

This is my daughter, Abby. She is a happy 3-year-old with Rett Syndrome, causing her to have physical and mental disabilities. She attends United Cerebral Palsy of Maine’s Early Childhood Program four days a week for services, but is missing one wonderful service that UCP can no longer offer due to lack of funding, Camp CaPella, located on Phillips Lake in Dedham.

Camp CaPella is a summer recreational camp for children with disabilities. It offers specially trained counselors and adaptive equipment specifically tailored to campers like Abby.

Summer camp for children with disabilities is a special place. It allows them the freedom to be who they are among children with similar challenges. Being able to canoe, swim or go fishing with friends of similar abilities means it’s about the recreation, and not the disability. For some, this is the only place our children with disabilities can experience an atmosphere where it truly is a life without limits.

Please help Abby and many other children with disabilities in this area to have the opportunity to receive the same camping experiences so many children have been able to receive for over 50 years.

Sincerely, Katie Guernsey