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LEHIGH VALLEY WEATHER
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PCFLV campers enjoy smiles aplenty

Published August 01. 2024 09:52AM
by ED COURRIER Special to The Press

Camp Smile brought a week full of joy to campers recently at the annual event hosted by the Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley at Muhlenberg College’s Moyer Hall.

The day camp provided local kids battling cancer and their siblings, along with children who have lost a sibling to cancer, a chance to play games, work on arts and crafts, swim and participate in theater.

Attendees were ages 4 to 15.

“We’ve had a great week,” Executive Director Michelle Zenie Rounds said. “We’ve been really excited to have so many kids again this year.”

She expressed appreciation for the volunteers, counselors and especially for the efforts of Camp Smile Director Kristine Buss.

“We have been doing Camp Smile for 12 years,” Buss said. “I’ve been involved for 11 years.”

The Upper Macungie Township resident also serves as the services and program director at PCFLV.

“This is my favorite program to do at the Pediatric Cancer Foundation,” Buss said. “It’s my most favorite week of the year.”

Activities are tailored for three age groups, the youngest being ages 4-7, 8-11 in the middle group and 12- to 14-year-olds in the older group.

Ten of this year’s attendees had aged out, but returned as volunteers.

Hopping along in a potato sack race bag was Alyssa Smith as she completed a section of the Camp Smile obstacle course.

“It’s just a very good time here,” Smith said.

She is one of three Schnecksville siblings participating in camp activities.

Her oldest brother Gregory was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 9.

“I heard about Camp Smile and they invited us to come along,” Gregory Smith, who had just completed chemotherapy at the time, said.

“We started attending, I believe the next year,” he remarked. “It just was a really fun experience.”

Gregory Smith now volunteers as a camp counselor, along with his brother Chase.

“It’s nice to see the other side of everything, where you get to help and kind of pay for the things you got to do as a kid as well,” the cancer survivor said.

The brothers are students at Parkland High School.

Another trio of siblings from Hanover Township enjoyed Camp Smile activities.

Accompanying cancer warrior Jude Marzen were his brother Isaac and sister Cora.

“My favorite activity is theater,” Cora said, a student at a private Christian school.

Jude Marzen’s favorite thing to do at camp is lacrosse.

A student at Eyer Middle School, Leslie Moore, who was diagnosed with cancer at age 5, started attending Camp Smile with a fellow cancer patient.

Arts and crafts are her favorite camp stations.

Seventeen kids in the Lehigh Valley received a new cancer diagnosis according to PCFLV Marketing and Community Relations Coordinator Tracy Stauffer.

Another child received a secondary diagnosis of cancer and a 15-year-old died after being diagnosed in March.

Stauffer’s daughter Vanessa is a cancer survivor and volunteers as a counselor.

The 2024 Parkland High graduate is headed to Kutztown University to major in early education.

Funding for Camp Smile is provided by corporate sponsors, grants and donations.

The Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley provides free programming and services to local children with cancer and their families.

The nonprofit is celebrating its 20th anniversary 4-7 p.m. July 31 with tours, food, face painting, balloons and more.

The Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting is 5 p.m.

PCFLV is located at 4501 Crackersport Road, South Whitehall Township.

For more Information, call 484-221-9294 or visit pcflv.org.

PRESS PHOTOS BY ED COURRIERJude Marzen, front, center, joins fellow performers dancing to the preschool song “Let’s Go Heroes!” Marzen, of Hanover Township, has been heroically winning his battle against brain cancer. With him are Ellie Nass, of Forks Township and Marzen’s brother Isaac.
With an arresting smile and a D.A.R.E. Junior Officer badge, Cora Marzen masters hoop twirling at Camp Smile. Her younger brother, Jude had been diagnosed with brain cancer, but is doing well. The family resides in Hanover Township.
Owen Tremmel and Cameron Horn are assisted by camp counselor Chase Smith with a craft project. Tremmel is a student at Fogelsville Elementary School, Horn attends Fleetwood Middle School and Smith is a junior at Parkland High School.
Lexi Cable, Leslie Moore and Cora Marzen work on their stomp rockets as Camp Smile Director Kristine Buss checks on their progress. Cable lives in South Whitehall. Moore is an Upper Milford Township resident and Marzen calls Hanover Township home.
From left, Lexi Cable, Leslie Moore and Cora Marzen assist each other as they successfully launch their stomp rockets at the conclusion of the camp’s science project.
Flanked by Vanessa Stauffer and Andy Beilhart from Science Explorers, is Camp Smile Director Kristine Buss. Stauffer, is a 2024 Parkland High School graduate. She volunteers as a counselor and Beilhart leads the young ‘rocket scientists’ in a hands-on stomp rocket science project.
Gregory Smith is one of three Schnecksville siblings attending Camp Smile. The cancer survivor and his brother Chase, both students at Parkland High School, volunteer as camp counselors. Their sister Alyssa participates as a camper.
Sibling of a cancer survivor, Alyssa Smith completes a section of the Camp Smile obstacle course in a potato sack race bag. The Schnecksville resident attends Circle of Seasons Charter School.