With Help From Strangers, Three Kids Get a Chance to Be Happy Campers

"It's painful, of course. They love their mother dearly," Janet Petway said of her three grandchildren. "The sad thing is when she's not drugging, you couldn't ask for a better mother, a better daughter, a better sister, a better wife. You couldn't ask for a better person."

But Janet's daughter is gripped by addiction and hasn't been a recent presence in the lives of her daughters, Breyana, 13, and Keiyana, 9, and her son, Keith Jr., 7, who goes by "KJ." Their father, Keith Herbert, is raising them in Northeast Washington.

But he's not raising them alone, and the children's story isn't one of a family torn asunder by drugs but of a family held together: by a single father, by a grandmother, by an uncle -- and even, occasionally, by strangers.

Strangers such as Rodney Davis of Family Matters of Greater Washington, the nonprofit group that runs Camp Moss Hollow. It was Rodney who waived the modest fees that some campers pay, allowing Keiyana and Keith to be at Moss Hollow this week. They'll return to camp July 27, along with Breyana, who's spending this week attending a special summer course at Dunbar High.

"Mr. Davis was a very, very good help," Janet said. "He stayed in contact. He called me. He's just been a blessing."

Even when they're not at camp, the youngsters are incredibly active. "We have them very much in church," Janet said. That's True Unity Baptist Church on Naylor Road SE, where they sing in the choir and dance in the dance ministry.

Every Tuesday, Janet's son, Joseph Addison, goes to the kids' house to work with them on their math and reading, something he's been doing since Breyana was 2. He's a Morehouse graduate who works as a toxicologist in Rockville, and he is utterly devoted to the kids.

"Now, because of his faithfulness to them, Breyana's always been a 4.0 student and was the valedictorian of her class at Eliot-Hine Middle School," Janet said. "We were just told by a teacher that KJ is going into a gifted and talented class. . . . Keiyana, they're putting her in an advanced math class. And I must say that's no credit to anybody but my son Joseph. He really dedicated his time and his finances -- his singleness -- he just dedicated it to his nieces and his nephew."

Janet lives in Odenton and ran her own day care for 17 years. She got bored after retiring and works as a nanny now. Every grandmother can be excused for thinking her grandkids are great. She has special reason to be proud, given how things could have turned out.

"It's one of the success stories," Janet said. "I know so many grandmothers who have to take on raising grandchildren by themselves. I think we're really blessed, considering the circumstances, that we've been able to keep them as grounded as we have been able to. I could not have done it alone."

Send a Kid to Camp

You are among the strangers who can make a difference in a child's life. The money that makes it possible for kids such as Breyana, Keiyana and Keith to attend Camp Moss Hollow comes from this campaign, from readers such as you. If you've been putting off making a gift, I hope you'll get to it now. Our campaign ends July 24, and we're a little more than halfway to our goal of $500,000. It costs about $700 to send one child to Moss Hollow for one week.

To make a 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. Or contribute online by going to http://www.washingtonpost.com/camp and clicking on the donation link. To use MasterCard or Visa by phone, call 202-334-5100 and follow the instructions on our taped message.

Eat at Clyde's, Help a Kid

Here's another way to participate in this good cause: Go today to your local Clyde's restaurant or the Old Ebbitt Grill and order the wild Alaska salmon entree or the summer salad of local tomatoes, Greek feta cheese, oregano, extra virgin olive oil, Maldon sea salt and cracked black pepper. Clyde's is donating a portion of the proceeds to Send a Kid to Camp.

My e-mail: kellyj@washpost.com