Springs Fling brings fun, raises funds
Annual event kicks off season of heritage camps for adopted children
Monica Ly, staff writer
June 13, 2007
1 | Photo Gallery

Photo by Kimsua Chay Annie of the Christina Yeh Dance Studio patiently waits for the music to begin at the Colorado Heritage Camp Spring Fling 2007 on June 9 at Westerly Creek Elementary School. [Photo Gallery]

DENVER – One large caterpillar graced a grassy field June 9 at Westerly Creek Elementary School.

Fortunately it was inflatable, colorful and hollow for small children to climb through during the Colorado Heritage Camp Spring Fling 2007.

Colorado Heritage Camps (CHC) take place several times a year to educate adopted children and their parents about cultures and backgrounds that might otherwise be unobserved. The Spring Fling provided families with food, games and entertainment while also raising money to fund the camps.

“It’s meaningful,” CHC executive director Pam Sweetser said. “There’s a piece missing from their lives that is especially pronounced when your parents don’t look like you. The purpose of the camps is to fill in that piece. As they’re growing, they can at least know some of their culture.”

CHC board member Burt Ballard agreed.

“I was adopted in 1975 and I’ve been working with the camps since 2000,” Ballard said. “I’m also part of the Vietnamese Adoptee Network and the International Adoptee Congress. This tries to give a voice to adoptees.”

As both an indoor and outdoor event, food and entertainment were situated in the school with the seating while games and activities dominated the lawns and sidewalks.

“I’ve been here every year they’ve had it,” said parent Cary Mead. “We’ve been to both Vietnamese and Chinese heritage camps. (The Spring Fling) is very family-friendly and introduces kids to multiculturalism.”

In addition to parents, other family members were welcome as well.

“The reason why I’m here is because of Lily (Suter-Trautman),” said Dale Trautman. “She’s my granddaughter and I think she’s off riding a pony.”

Volunteers contributed to the success of the fundraising event.

“I got involved because my cousin volunteers at a heritage camp,” volunteer Bau Em said. “I want to contribute because the Cambodian Heritage Camp helped out with our dragon boat team.”

International entertainment on the stage began promptly at 11:30 a.m. and lasted until nearly 4 p.m. Upbeat music and movement illustrated the performances. Beginning with the Shaolin Hung Mei’s lion dance to the Mudra Dance Studio Indian dance to even the Carmen Toure African Drummers, the general consensus from the Funke family was that “they were terrific.”

For more information about the Colorado Heritage Camps, go to http://www.heritagecamps.org.

Monica Ly is a staff writer for AsiaXpress.com. Monica can be contacted via e-mail at Monica.Ly@asiaxpress.com.