By Jessica Mackin
Vera Moore, Founder and President of Vera Moore Cosmetics joined Linda B Shapiro of LBS Productions and Natalia Saavedra on August 21 to bring special goodies to campers at Camp Quintipet on Shelter Island. Camp Quintipet opens its grounds to Kids Need More for one week each summer to create motivational recovery environments to children who have cancer and their siblings. This year, 98 girls and 63 boys attended between the ages of 6 and 24.
“Our children and families at More Camp Adventure are coping with childhood cancer. The goal of our all volunteer staff is to create a safe environment for the kids to just be kids,” said Melissa Firmes, co-founder of Kids Need More. Firmes has been at the camp for 18 years and refers to the community of people as Camp Family. “I’ve learned through heart-breaking first hand experience the way life-threatening illnesses affects a family. When a child becomes critically ill, the entire family is changed for life.”
“It was a very spiritual moment. We were empowered. The smiles on their faces and the look in their eyes said it all,” said Vera Moore who transformed all the girls into princesses with her make-up line for the New Year’s Eve themed ball that night. She continued, “The spirit of love in that room was contagious and we caught it.”
After 24 years the major funder has had to make a difficult decision to stop funding the camp. Those who have been involved are determined to keep it going.