For most kids in Kern County, going away to camp is routine part of their summer but many foster children here at home never get that opportunity.
Camp organizers said the week at camp is especially important for the foster kids.
When the sun rises on Frazier Mountain, another day begins at Royal Family Kids Camp, but this camp is no ordinary place.
Its a safe haven for foster kids who have been through it all.
Camp counselor Russ Unruh said, "Most of these kids come from backgrounds that are full of child abuse whether it's verbal or physical abuse and neglect, and drug abuse by their parents. Anything you can imagine, and they have no hope. They get a chance this week to get away from that."
For one week each year, Royal Family Kids Camp brings foster kids to this church retreat near Frazier Park to forget about the hardships in their lives.
From a hike into the woods to horse back riding in the afternoon, each day is filled with activities teaching the kids to just have fun.
For long-time organizers, it's more than that.
Camp organizer Randy Martin said, "For us the privilege is seeing development in children. They come back year after year and we get to see their character change. They're filled with joy despite being moved to five or six different foster homes or four or five different schools. It's just so transformational and it really reminds us that the human race is a good thing."
Katie has been coming to camp for six years, and said it's the one safe place she loves.
"Everyone's so loving here, they're always there for me and it feels very loved," said Katie. "It helps me be a better person, everyone makes mistakes, you just have to repent."
Stronger children growing into their own lives, sometimes one friend at a time.
For many of these foster kids, the hardest thing about camp is going home.
Another camper, Danny, said, "It's fun making new friends, because they are with you, and so it's easy to become friends."
With their outlook on the world enhanced, and new relationships formed, Kim Martin says her hope for the kids is simple.
Martin said, "That their hearts would be healed. That they would get to a place where they're whole emotionally and that they would find healing and strength in their lives. That they're past doesn't determine who they are, it's the future that does."
The camp is an outreach ministry of Canyon Hills Assembly of God in Bakersfield, but the camp wouldn't survive without the generous donations and sponsorships from the community.
**Names of campers were changed in this story to protect their identities.**
