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CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, a Camp SAY Ambassador, has stuttered since childhood and understands first-hand the serious issues that children with this speech disorder face at school and in everyday life. This day camp will be hosted in Charlotte, NC and is being offered free-of-charge. Parents are encouraged to attend camp to meet and mingle with other parents of children who stutter. Parents can also join an educational group, led by an expert in working with young people who stutter.
"I am really excited to be an Ambassador for Camp SAY and to have the opportunity to make such a positive impact on kids who stutter," said Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Charlotte Hornets Forward. "I'm looking forward to extending my support into the Charlotte community based on the foundation of a cause that is very special to me."
SAY Founder Taro Alexander added, "We are honored that Michael is hosting Camp SAY Across the USA: Charlotte. Michael knows that stuttering doesn't have to hold anyone back from pursuing and achieving their dreams. He is a powerful role model to countless young people and is dedicated to fostering a strong community of kids and teens who stutter. He inspires young people to do and be anything they want."
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist visited Camp SAY's 2-week residential camp in East Stroudsburg, PA last summer and had the opportunity to meet some of the 156 campers who attended. That sparked the idea to host a day camp so kids in Charlotte could benefit from this transformative camp experience too. "Bringing Camp SAY Across the USA to Charlotte will change so many lives," said Alexander. The camp will take place from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, at a central location in Charlotte, NC. The following weekend, campers and their parents are invited to join SAY for the March 3, 1:00 pm Hornets v. Trail Blazers game, with 2 FREE game tickets being available for each family of a child who attends Camp SAY Across the USA: Charlotte (1 ticket for the camper and 1 for a parent/guardian - limited availability, while supplies last). See additional Camp SAY Across the USA: Charlotte details and enrollment information at CampSAY.org/Charlotte.
Stuttering is a common, yet widely misunderstood speech disorder that affects over 70 million people worldwide, including approximately 5% of all young children, many who continue to stutter into adulthood. Children who stutter often have significant difficulty in establishing friendships and experience discrimination, profound cruelty and bullying. Children who stutter may underperform in school by declining to participate in school activities, and avoid participation in class discussions – literally silencing themselves to avoid ridicule and shame. This cycle can deny children the opportunity to build educational and communication skills, compromising opportunities to attend college or pursue a desired career. SAY was founded in 2001, to help address these critical issues facing children who stutter. Camp SAY was established in 2008, and in 2018, Camp SAY Across the USA was launched with stops in several cities, including Irvine, CA; Houston, TX; and Memphis, TN.
The Stuttering Association for the Young is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that empowers, educates, and supports young people who stutter and the world that surrounds them. Through creative expression, summer camp, and speech therapy, SAY builds a community of acceptance where young people who stutter gain confidence and communication skills. Since 2001, SAY has offered comprehensive and innovative programs that address the physical, social, and emotional impacts of stuttering. This year alone, SAY will underwrite more than $1,000,000 in programming costs for children from families in need. To date, no child has been turned away due to a family's inability to pay.
SOURCE SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young
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"I am really excited to be an Ambassador for Camp SAY and to have the opportunity to make such a positive impact on kids who stutter," said Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Charlotte Hornets Forward. "I'm looking forward to extending my support into the Charlotte community based on the foundation of a cause that is very special to me."
SAY Founder Taro Alexander added, "We are honored that Michael is hosting Camp SAY Across the USA: Charlotte. Michael knows that stuttering doesn't have to hold anyone back from pursuing and achieving their dreams. He is a powerful role model to countless young people and is dedicated to fostering a strong community of kids and teens who stutter. He inspires young people to do and be anything they want."
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist visited Camp SAY's 2-week residential camp in East Stroudsburg, PA last summer and had the opportunity to meet some of the 156 campers who attended. That sparked the idea to host a day camp so kids in Charlotte could benefit from this transformative camp experience too. "Bringing Camp SAY Across the USA to Charlotte will change so many lives," said Alexander. The camp will take place from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, at a central location in Charlotte, NC. The following weekend, campers and their parents are invited to join SAY for the March 3, 1:00 pm Hornets v. Trail Blazers game, with 2 FREE game tickets being available for each family of a child who attends Camp SAY Across the USA: Charlotte (1 ticket for the camper and 1 for a parent/guardian - limited availability, while supplies last). See additional Camp SAY Across the USA: Charlotte details and enrollment information at CampSAY.org/Charlotte.
Stuttering is a common, yet widely misunderstood speech disorder that affects over 70 million people worldwide, including approximately 5% of all young children, many who continue to stutter into adulthood. Children who stutter often have significant difficulty in establishing friendships and experience discrimination, profound cruelty and bullying. Children who stutter may underperform in school by declining to participate in school activities, and avoid participation in class discussions – literally silencing themselves to avoid ridicule and shame. This cycle can deny children the opportunity to build educational and communication skills, compromising opportunities to attend college or pursue a desired career. SAY was founded in 2001, to help address these critical issues facing children who stutter. Camp SAY was established in 2008, and in 2018, Camp SAY Across the USA was launched with stops in several cities, including Irvine, CA; Houston, TX; and Memphis, TN.
The Stuttering Association for the Young is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that empowers, educates, and supports young people who stutter and the world that surrounds them. Through creative expression, summer camp, and speech therapy, SAY builds a community of acceptance where young people who stutter gain confidence and communication skills. Since 2001, SAY has offered comprehensive and innovative programs that address the physical, social, and emotional impacts of stuttering. This year alone, SAY will underwrite more than $1,000,000 in programming costs for children from families in need. To date, no child has been turned away due to a family's inability to pay.
SOURCE SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young
