#pals programs 2014

[palsprograms]

Wow, what an incredible week we had at Cabrini College for Camp PALS Philadelphia. There were incredible trips to the beach, Dave & Busters and the Franklin Institute, not to mention endless dance parties and fun activities!

For more, check out the Facebook and Youtube and don't forget to keep an eye out for Camp PALS Georgetown photos and videos this week!

[palsprograms]

PALS Adventures Takes On Wisconsin Dells

 Smiles, dancing, and speeding down the slopes of Wisconsin were just some of the highlights from the first-ever overnight PALS Adventure Feb 21st-23rd. Twenty two PALS alumni from near and far boarded a bus en route to Wisconsin Dells, WI to enjoy a weekend with some friends both old and new.   Everyone bundled up for the frigid Wisconsin air for a morning of snow tubing at Christmas Mountain Village. Shouts of joy were heard as both campers and counselors flew down the mountain on their snow tubes. 

After making lunch at the lodge,the afternoon called for a 180 degree turn as participants headed to the Indoor Wilderness water parks. The afternoon was filled with daring rides like the Hurricane and body slides, relaxing in the the lazy river and hot tub, and braving the waves in the wave pool.

After an eventful day, dinner was a team effort with everyone pitching in to make and enjoy an Italian feast. Then, in true PALS fashion, this exciting day was capped off with karaoke and a PALS dance party.

[aabelman]

PALS Adventures Takes On Wisconsin Dells

 "Smiles, dancing, and speeding down the slopes of Wisconsin were just some of the highlights from the first-ever overnight PALS Adventure Feb 21st-23rd. Twenty two PALS alumni, from near and far, boarded a bus en route to Wisconsin Dells, WI to enjoy a weekend with some friends both old and new.  Everyone bundled up for the frigid Wisconsin air for a morning of snow tubing at Christmas Mountain Village. Shouts of joy were heard as both campers and counselors flew down the mountain on their snow tubes. 

After making lunch at the lodge,the afternoon called for a 180 degree turn as participants headed to the Indoor Wilderness water parks. The afternoon was filled with daring rides like the Hurricane and body slides, relaxing in the the lazy river and hot tub, and braving the waves in the wave pool.

After an eventful day, dinner was a team effort with everyone pitching in to make and enjoy an Italian feast. Then, in true PALS fashion, this exciting day was capped off with karaoke and a PALS dance party.

[palsprograms]

Learn More about The Gala and How to Win a Ticket!

Haven't bought your ticket to the 10 Year Anniversary Gala yet? Not quite sure what all the fuss is about? Here's some more of the awesome details:

What is this event?

The Gala is a fancy dance party and celebration, celebrating 10 years of the all the amazing things that make PALS so unique. We'll be honoring those that have been involved since the very beginning and sharing some of the best photos and videos from throughout the years. Plus a few speeches and a lot of fun music, dancing and a delicious dinner!

When and Where?

The Gala is March 8th 2014 from 6-10 pm at the Hall of Flags at Perelman Quadrangle at the University of Pennsylvania!

How do I get a ticket?

With the support of a generous donor and some awesome table purchases, we are able to provide tickets at a discounted rate for PALS families, volunteers and community members at $50 a ticket.

http://palsprograms.org/gala

What's this about winning a ticket?

Between now and February 28th we'll be accepting submissions of videos, pictures, and other media about why you love PALS! We will donate a pair of tickets to the Gala to the winning submission and every other submission will win an additional $3 discount on their tickets!Post your submission (video, vine, photo, art piece, or other media) to the PALS Facebook wall or submit to [email protected]

[palsprograms]

Meet the Directors: Introducing the Princeton Team

Meet the Princeton Director Team. Joining last year's fearless leader, returning Princeton director Whitney Flora, is David Sabia, a counselor at various PALS events for the past four summers, and Steven Rosen, a new member of the PALS family and a Princeton alum. Located on the historic and beautiful Princeton campus, this program intends to replicate the quintessential college experience--trying new things with new friends, all while developing meaningful independence. The team looks forward to meeting their campers and counselors and beginning what will surely be one of the best weeks of the summer!

Learn more about them after the jump:

Whitney: "Hey PALS fam! My name is Whitney Flora and this will be my 6th summer with this amazing organization. In the past I was a counselor and head counselor at Camp PALS Philadelphia. I then got to experience the awesomeness of Camp PALS San Francisco and this last summer I had the pleasure of being a head counselor at Camp PALS Georgetown. It will be my 2nd year as director of Camp PALS Princeton and I cannot wait to see what’s in store for this incredible summer!  I am currently a senior at the University Of Arizona majoring in Family Studies and Human Development and plan to move to the east coast as soon as I graduate. I am so unbelievably excited to work with these guys and to plan a fun-filled camp at the beautiful Princeton campus! Watch out NJ!"

David: "Hey everybody! I'm David Sabia and this summer will mark five years since my brother Steve, a 7th-year camper, introduced me into the PALS family! In that time I've served as either a counselor or head counselor at PALS Philadelphia, PALS San Francisco, PALS Georgetown and PALS Princeton. This summer I'm excited to spend my first year as a director with my amazing co-directors at PALS Princeton. I currently live in Silver Spring, Maryland, where I work as a 5th grade paraeducator in the Montgomery County Public School system. I am also working towards my Masters in Elementary Education from University of Maryland, which I will complete this upcoming May. Can't wait to meet all the counselors and campers for what will surely be one of the best weeks of the year!"

Steven: "Hi! My name is Steven Rosen and I'm a new addition to the PALS director team.  I graduated from Princeton University last year where I was a director of Princeton Disabilities Awareness (PDA), an organization that held an annual carnival for young children with Down Syndrome.  I currently live in Philadelphia but travel all over as a consultant for McKinsey and Company.  I couldn't be happier to head back to Princeton for Camp PALS!"

Camp PALS Princeton occurs on the Princeton University campus July 27- August 2, 2014 for 25 campers ages 18-25.

 To help this amazing team of directors and the rest of PALS Programs make this summer the best one yet, please consider making a contribution of any size and Donate Here!

[palsprograms]

Meet the Directors: Introducing the Philadelphia Team

Meet the Camp PALS Philadelphia Director Team. Joining last year’s returning directors Jenn Grobe and Morgan Williams is PALS veteran Laura Karp. This energetic, exciting team of dedicated directors can't wait to get back to the beautiful Cabrini College campus, where Camp PALS Philadelphia has been hosted for over 10 years! They can't wait to offer PALS' youngest campers a week full of fun, excitement, friendship, and dance parties at the largest Camp PALS of the 2014 season!

Learn more about this director team after the jump:

Jenn: " Hi! My name is Jenn Grobe, and I'm anxiously awaiting my 7th summer at Camp PALS. This will be my third year as a Director and I'm already counting down the days until Camper Arrival! This fall, I began law school at George Washington University in Washington, DC, in the hopes of learning about and practicing disability law. I can't wait to spend my summer making new friends, singing karaoke, and starting dance parties on the patio!"

Morgan: "My name is Morgan Williams, and I love Camp PALS. This is my second year as a Director at the Philly program, but I’ve been involved with PALS since 2010, when Philadelphia was the only program we had. By the time we leave the launchpad this summer, I will have graduated from Swarthmore College with a double major in Political Science and Psychology. I’m really excited to be a part of the 2014 Director team for three reasons. One, I’ll get to see Jenn Grobe and Laura Karp every day. Two, I can’t wait to make new friends. Three, CAMP PALS IS THE BEST WEEK OF THE YEAR!"

Laura: " Hey there! My name is Laura Karp and I'm SO excited for my 8th summer at Camp PALS. I have been a Head Counselor and Head CPS in the past, but this will be my first summer as a director! I recently began graduate school for occupational therapy at Towson University. I want to be an OT to help young adults with their independence skills. I live in Baltimore, MD with two friends from PALS and we're already counting down the days until Camp PALS Philadelphia at Cabrini College!"

Camp PALS Philadelphia will occur June 22-28, 2014 at Cabrini College for 60 campers ages 12-18.  

 To help this amazing team of directors and the rest of PALS Programs make this summer the best one yet, please consider making a contribution of any size and Donate Here!

[palsprograms]

The PALS Programs Annual Fundraising Campaign is back!

Just in time for the holidays, this year’s PALS Programs Annual Fundraising Campaign has officially begun!  This year we are aiming for a total of $100,000 in donations. PALS has officially expanded to six camps for the new year and every little bit raised makes a huge difference in our future. We are confident that the PALS community has what it takes to make this campaign a huge success. Let's make this the best year yet!

You can donate online here or by mailing a check to "PALS" at 12 Dow Drive, Hillsborough, NJ 08844.

Curious as to where the money goes? View our annual report.