Into the Woods, Thanks to High-Rise Residents

And retiree Sally Vermilye remembers sending all four of her children to camp in North Carolina. She thinks it gave them confidence. "It gave them the strength to know they could carry on by themselves," she said.

Residents Tani Lublin and Anne Marie Pittman have led the fundraising efforts at Marina Towers for the past decade. And as Lublin is fond of saying, "It all started with a beach towel." The apartment complex discovered Moss Hollow when they were searching for a worthy group that could use a stack of beach towels they'd used as decorations for a poolside party.

The camp got the towels and Marina Towers got a cause, one that even their management company, Community Management Corp., contributed to last year. In addition to collecting funds for the camp this summer, residents' annual silent auction in August will benefit Moss Hollow. Their efforts recently earned them the "Humanitarian of the Year" award from the D.C. area chapter of the Community Associations Institute.

"We hope maybe that what we do will serve as an inspiration for what other communities could do for Moss Hollow," Lublin said.

Take note if you are part of a community such as an apartment complex.

And if you're not, please remember how much any contribution to The Washington Post's Send a Kid to Camp campaign can mean to hundreds of needy children who come from the District, suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia. Without the chance to go to Moss Hollow, most of them wouldn't have much of a summer.

How to Help

To make your tax-deductible donation:

· Send a check or money order payable to "Send a Kid to Camp" to P.O. Box 96237, Washington, D.C. 20090-6237.

· To contribute online, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/camp. At the bottom of the page you will see a place to make a secure donation.

· To donate using MasterCard or Visa by phone, call 202-334-5100 and follow the instructions on our taped message.

And don't forget to order the Wednesday menu features at McCormick & Schmick's Restaurants and M&S Grills. Every Wednesday, proceeds from their featured item go straight to Moss Hollow.