By Kimberly Hopson
L’Observateur

LAPLACE – New Wine Christian Fellowship Church organized a special business luncheon on Wednesday that featured two very special guests from the New Orleans Saints.
Offensive lineman Brian De la Puente and long snapper Justin Drescher made a special appearance at the event to encourage the community to support Kids on the Move, a summer diversion program created by the church. The football players received gift baskets as a thank-you for supporting the initiative.
“We were given this unique platform at a very young age to be able to influence a lot of young people. Camps like this play an integral part in growing up and being a man. Both me and Justin participated in camps, and the structure and the sense of being part of something were really important to our development,” said De la Puente.
Kids on the Move activities will include arts and crafts, educational fun, field trips, relay races, sports tournaments, swimming and more. Participants will also receive a hot lunch four days a week.
The eight-week summer camp is in its 10th year of operation, but program organizers said that they need support from the surrounding community to keep up with expenses for the upcoming months. Last year, the program had more than 350 children participate, and 132 of them were scholarship recipients. The camp organizers said last year’s operation expenses totaled more than $89,000, of which $10,000 was paid by sponsors. The camp is expected to have more participants this year, which would bring expenses to an estimated $111,000.
Drescher said his parents began sending him to long snapping camps afer he was cut from his high school basketball team.
“Every kid needs a role model. One of the biggest things these camps can do for individuals is give them role models to look up to and ask questions. I think these summer camps are great because the kids, who have already been through rough patches in life, can look up at and say ‘Hey that guy made it too,’” he said.
Camp Director Karina Portillo wants the community to know that providing a scholarship for a child can make a big impact in the community.
Portillo came from an impoverished background herself. The director said that after her mother died, when Portillo was just 6 years old, her grandmother took it upon herself to raise Portillo and her five siblings without help.
The family could not afford to participate in the local Salvation Army summer camp, but business owner sponsored Portillo and her siblings out of the kindness of his heart.
“It really was a great impact in my life. I realize that no matter what circumstances you are put in, that God himself can turn it around,” said Portillo. “A lot of people say ‘What can a summer camp do for a community?’ We have seen over the past 10 years that a summer camp that brings structure and a positive environment can do a lot. We have seen kids come from all backgrounds, and our goal is always to let them know that they have a purpose, and God has a plan for them.”
Kids on the Move received  approximately $7,600 in donations during the luncheon. For more information about donations, scholarship criteria, tuition rates or registration, contact New Wine Christian Fellowship Church at 985-653-0008 or 985-287-2475.