Story of the One

The "Story of the One" comes from the starfish story where a young boy is walking along the beach front with his grandfather when he notices thousands of starfish that have washed up on the shore. His grandfather says,"there's no way we can help them all." To which the boy picks up a starfish, tosses it back in the ocean and replies, "we can help this one....and this one...and this one."

Each one matters. You can make a difference in a child's life.


After an experience at camp, mentor club or teen retreat, staff is encouraged to remember a SOTO of a moment that made a difference.

Read some of those stories below.

Important Moments

"God does amazing things at camp! There are no words to describe it. Catching a fish for the first time, making a s'more for the first time, working with tools for the first time, hitting a target for the first time, hearing about God for the first time, and being a kid for the first time; these are all some of the firsts that kids experience at camp. If you’ve been there for any of those moments then you know why camp is important. If you haven’t then hopefully you have someone in your life that will get you to come to camp. " Kevin- support staff

Foundation of Compassion


"As I look forward to being a part of Royal Family Kids’ Camp for the tenth straight year, I can reflect on how God has used camp to touch many hearts, including my own. Ten years ago, when I first heard about the opportunity for Southwest Community Church to partner with RFK, I was moved to tears thinking about what a great need this would fill. For one, our community was desperate for hope in the local foster care arena and I was personally searching for a tangible way to serve. From the beginning of our partnership, I could see how God had prepared so many hearts and lives within our church to embrace this ministry. I was a young single mother, my daughter was two at the time and I saw our campers from the perspective of “only by God’s grace are we not in the same situation.” God had used my own struggles to lay a foundation of compassion for the forgotten. I think about the times when children have asked “How much do you get paid to be here?” and when the response is, “We are all volunteers, we’re here because we love being here with you!”, they are speechless. We exist to be a reflection of God’s love for them. I have had the opportunity to be a camp counselor now for four years with the same camper. My camper told her adoptive parents that camp was better than a trip to Disneyworld! Each year, camp gives foster parents a respite to get refreshed and know that their child is well taken care of and at camp where she is surrounded by her “extended family”. My camper will experience her last year at camp this summer but I am encouraged to know this is not the end of our connection. We are involved in Mentor Club through RFK where we hang out once a month throughout the whole year and she will also be able to attend Teen Retreat this winter. I look forward to my own daughter being able to serve as she is nearing the age to be a junior support staff and the seed of ministry has been planted in her. By God’s grace, we will continue to water seeds of God’s love and truth in the lives of so many." -Cortnie-Counselor