Despite flood damage, unique summer camp vows to return

    CANBY —A Christian youth summer camp, unique because of its focus on vehicle racing, is vowing to return this year despite major damage caused by winter floodwaters.
     But help from the region’s Christian community is needed, say camp organizers.
     While beginning preparations for this summer’s Victory Racing Camp, it was discovered that all the go-karts used to teach boys and girls how to race were damaged. But organizers are rallying all the help they can find to piece the karts back into working order.
    After hearing that parts of Pat’s Acres Karting Complex in Canby, where the camp’s go-karts are stored, fell victim to the high waters of January, camp Executive Director Rev. David Glass sent out to survey the damage
Glass was shocked to find that the camp’s 40-foot trailer and racing go-karts inside had sat in three feet of water for several weeks.
     In his laundry list of damages from the floodwaters, Glass wrote to camp supporters, describing the most heartbreaking news:
    “The greatest disappointment is the condition of all the karts. Of what I could see of the 12 karts in the trailer, none of them are in working order. They are covered with silt, and we’ll need to break down each engine to make sure there is no damage.
    “At least we found out now.”
     Glass said this is a major setback for the small,non-profit camp.
     Glass said Victory Racing Camp is one of only a handful of camps in the United States that combine racing instruction and Christian inspiration, supplemented with activities such as paintball, swimming, and other fun designed to teach the value of teamwork, character and achieving one’s potential.
     One of the highlights of the annual camp, he said, is when the youths hear from, and spend time, with drivers from NASCAR, the American LeMans Series, NHRA Pro Stock, Sprint Cars and other professional series.
    “Teens dealing with anything from broken relationships, to depression, to low self-worth and rejection find a measure of healing here,” Glass said. “Our program combines significant challenges with team-building and encouragement. They come wanting to be race drivers, but they leave inspired to do and be more.”
    However, he adds, the camp – like many non-profits – is on a shoestring budget. Without help from the community, this setback will decimate the funds used to provide scholarships each year for underprivileged and low-income teens.
     To learn more about how to share time or resources to help Victory Racing Camp recovery from the flood, visit www.TeamVRC.org.