Children's Health
Flip Flop Day: Fundraising Effort to Give Terminally Ill Children and Their Families a Much Needed Break
By
Jun 8, 2009 - 3:43:14 PM

Tropical Smoothie Café Spreads Sunshine Across America


(HealthNewsDigest.com) - DESTIN, FL – Tropical Smoothie Café is preparing to knock the nation’s socks off with its third annual National Flip Flop Day, June 19, 2009. Benefiting children facing life-threatening illnesses and their families, Tropical Smoothie Café’s National Flip Flop Day celebrates the start of summer with an aggressive fundraising effort aimed at sending families to Camp Sunshine, a retreat in Maine that provides respite, support, joy and hope to visitors.

“We anticipate 2009 to be even bigger and better than last year for National Flip Flop Day,” said Jim Valentino, president and COO of Tropical Smoothie Café. “After an exhilarating event in 2008, which included donating more than $125,000 and sending 80 families from around the country to Camp Sunshine, we are motivated to raise even more this year.”

During the month of June, Tropical Smoothie Café locations nationwide invite customers to contribute to the Camp Sunshine fundraising effort through the purchase of paper flip flops which are posted throughout the store. Donations can also be made online at www.nationalflipflopday.com. The philanthropic campaign peaks on Friday, June 19, 2009 with National Flip Flop Day. That day, the first 500 customers who come in to any of the chain’s 275-plus locations wearing flip flop sandals will receive a free 24-oz. Jetty Punch™ smoothie.

“We are so passionate about this cause and are extremely encouraged by the results from the first year of our partnership with Camp Sunshine,” Valentino added. “This is one of those grassroots efforts that drive an entire community to get behind it.”

In addition to sending families to Camp Sunshine, funds raised during National Flip Flop Day support travel costs and the camp’s capital improvements.

This is the second consecutive year Tropical Smoothie Café is partnering with Camp Sunshine for its National Flip Flop Day celebration. The funds send families on a week-long retreat where they can escape from the stress of their everyday lives. Located in Casco, Maine, along Sebago Lake, Camp Sunshine offers recreational, medical and counseling services at no cost to individuals and their families. Since 1984, Camp Sunshine has helped more than 16,000 families from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds better cope and manage the child’s illness.

About Camp Sunshine

Founded in 1984, Camp Sunshine is a year-round retreat, which provides respite, support, joy and hope to children with life-threatening illnesses and their immediate families through various stages of a child's illness. The camp is free of charge to all families, and includes 24-hour onsite medical and psychosocial support. Bereavement groups are also offered for families who have lost a child to an illness. Camp Sunshine is nestled in the tranquil natural beauty of Sebago Lake, Maine adjacent to Point Sebago Resort. The Camp Sunshine Campus can accommodate 40 families each week, and assists over 1,200 families a year. For further information, visit www.campsunshine.org.

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