NOEL -- Tyson donated $4,400 to River Ranch Resort to sponsor an upcoming youth day camp. The camp will take place from July 11 to July 13, with children eight through 11 eligible to attend.
River Ranch will host its first youth day camp, a camp that owner Dustin Shurback hopes to make annual and offer multiple times a year. Shurback's goal is for children to take part in numerous outdoor activities. Shurback said students will learn team building, will get to float on the river, will partake in various activities, and will be served meals.
Shurback said Tyson's donation would help cover the cost of children wanting to attend the camp as the resort will charge $100 per child. Shurback said the first 100 children to sign up for the camp will be sponsored.
River Ranch Resort will have three pick-up spots for students to meet if they should need transportation to the resort. Pick-up spots will be at the Anderson Post Office, the Pineville Plaza, and the Southwest City Library. Shurback said children who attend the camp would be sent home with a T-shirt, a correctly-sized life jacket, and a goody bag.
Shurback said the day camp would offer more for the children in the community to be able to do.
"We're just trying to do more for the community," Shurback said. "I think the camp will impact the community greatly because it will get kids more active in the outdoors, and they're going to be exposed to a lot of team building, so I think that it'll be very beneficial for these kiddos to come. It'll also be a fun experience for them."
Jack Kelley, complex manager at Tyson, said Tyson gave the check to River Ranch to be good neighbors and help those who may struggle to send their kids to summer camp.
"We know it may be a little difficult for some folks to be able to travel longer distances to have those summer camp options or anything for their kids," Kelley said. "It just seemed like a really good fit in our current environment with the price of gas."
Kelley said Tyson donates to businesses when they can, prioritizing local businesses.
"We want to be good neighbors and we want to support the local businesses," Kelley said. Kelley said Tyson wanted to sponsor youth in the area and promote activities close to home.