WHEREAS, for 75 years, the Virginia Elks Youth Camp, Inc., has provided a unique educational and social experience for youths while fostering a love and appreciation for the great outdoors; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Elks Youth Camp was established in 1949 after the Virginia State Elks Association agreed to create a summer camp as a state project; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia State Elks Association established a board of directors and formed committees to purchase and develop the Virginia Elks Youth Camp, which is located just north of Clifton Forge in Bath County and is nestled into a bend of the Cowpasture River; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Elks Youth Camp has grown to become one of the finest summer camps in the country and now serves approximately 500 boys and girls between the ages of eight and 13 each summer, totaling nearly 50,000 children in its history; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Elks Youth Camp is free to all campers and is funded by generous donations from 26 Elks Lodges across the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, over the course of one-week stays at the Virginia Elks Youth Camp, campers can participate in a wide range of activities, from team sports to individual projects and other wholesome adventures, all while building lifelong friendships with their peers; and

WHEREAS, the dedicated staff members and volunteers of the Virginia Elks Youth Camp have helped thousands of campers over the years develop self-reliance, self-discipline, and self-respect in a warm, safe, and healthy environment; and

WHEREAS, with the majestic Allegheny Mountains as a classroom, the Virginia Elks Youth Camp cultivates a better understanding of the natural world and helps young people achieve skills and knowledge that will serve them well later in life; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Elks Youth Camp has also contributed millions of dollars to support young people and veterans throughout the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Virginia Elks Youth Camp, Inc., hereby be commended on the occasion of its 75th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Virginia Elks Youth Camp, Inc., as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the camp's legacy of contributions to the mental, physical, social, and spiritual growth of generations of young Virginians.