To find the poor and needy, the underprivileged children, whose bodies are undernourished, whose thoughts are clouded by fear, whose hearts are heavy from lack of love and understanding . . . to find and rebuild them into healthier and happier generations of Americans.”

-Robert M. Pyles, Founder, R.M.

Its that time of year, when parents are digging out the luggage packing up the kids and sending them off to camp. Camp is that glorious break that children get from parents and visa versa. When everyone can take a deep breath and enjoy the peace of summertime.

Thanks to places like the RM Pyles Camp so can thousands of underprivileged teenage boys from all over Southern California.  These campers come from neighborhoods where gang life and drugs are a way of life. However, schools and law enforcement agencies select these special 12-14 year old campers who are often at a crossroads in deciding to join gangs or not.

Most of the camp’s staff is made up of past campers who also grew up in these same situations and share their journeys to inspire the new generation of 500 boys that show up to camp each year.

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All of this is because of one man, Robert M. Pyles. Pyles was a successful businessman whose life had not always been easy.  He was only 3 when his father abandoned his family in Texas. His family moved to Bakersfield and he began working in the oil fields to help support his family at age 11. Pyles had camped his entire life and when he out grew his camp he continued working there. Robert ultimately became a successful oil man and in 1949 wanted to pay forward the experience that turned his life around. So he founded the Robert M. Pyles Camp.

Today over 60 years later over 20,000 boys have spent free two week sessions in the Sequoia National Forrest learning to set goals and take responsibility. Robert Pyles believed that the camp and these values could help the boys lift themselves out of poverty.

As one camper said, “They teach you how to believe in yourself and that you have choices and that there is more to life than gangs.”

Camp matters. Charity Matters.

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