A Man on a Mission

I first noticed Neal at the Travel Soccer sign ups.  He was in the corner filling out forms with 3 Asian boys. Over the indoor and outdoor soccer season, I got to know Neal and his boys better.  But he never came with just his boys, it turned out he's a Pied Piper with an old beat up 15 passenger van, unloading lots of kids and even some adults to come watch the 3 play. Everyone, it seems, in the Burmese community knows Neal.   But as I learned there is more to him than sponsoring some boys to play soccer.  Meet Neal Andrews, a man on a mission to provide each child a slice of summer fun.

It might have started for him by answering an ad in Metroland to sponsor a refugee family, or maybe it was as a young man listening to his Mother find spots for kids in the Fresh Air Program, but it has grown into a major role in sending a passel of refugee kids to summer camp every year.

Think about sending one child and the work and time it takes.  For each child he and other volunteers find the camp, fill out pages and pages of paperwork, get the physicals, track down the packing lists, collect the supplies, pack them up, bring them to camp, write letters, visit on parent days, and finally pick them up at the end of their session and drive them  home.   It's worth noting that the spaces are donated every year by the camps who have open beds left to fill.  Lots of e mails and phone calls are placed each year looking for openings.  If it sounds daunting and exhausting, it is, but thanks to Neal and other volunteers, it comes to fruition.

67 refugee kids went to camp this year.  That's pretty damn amazing.  It provided a chance for the kids to improve their language skills, socialize with non refugee children, eat three good meals a day, experience things that they wouldn't otherwise and be away from the poverty and hardships that are part of their lives at home. There is a saying, "it takes a village to raise a child", but in this case it takes Neal and a team of dedicated individuals that believe in every child having a chance to go away each summer to camp and just be a kid.

Look for an upcoming article about Neal and his mission in the Times Union on Saturday.  A previous article http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Capital-Profile-Neal-Andrews-3467678.php  is also still available from last spring.  If anyone is interested in writing grants, donating time, money or goods, contact him at:    http://www.volunteersforrefugees.org .