BIRMINGHAM – The Hoover Public Safety Foundation made a $10,000 donation to Children’s Harbor and spent time with Children’s of Alabama patients on Tuesday, April 3.

The money was raised at the Foundation’s annual Night of Laughter event and was presented at the Children’s Harbor Family Center at Children’s of Alabama.

“This is a special day for members of the Foundation as we contribute funds to Children’s Harbor that will provide opportunities for thousands of children to attend camp this summer at the beautiful Lake Martin campus,” Foundation Chairman John C. Wingate said. “As public servants it is important to us to give back to our community and this is a way to touch the lives of many through the work of Children’s Harbor.”

Children’s Harbor operates two locations. At Children’s of Alabama, patients and siblings are offered activities as well as support through counseling care and educational resources.

Children’s Harbor’s Lake Martin campus hosts camping and adventure services through partnering organizations, providing patients and families a place of rest and restoration.

After the check presentation, Hoover public safety representatives held a “Rev-it-up” event for Children’s patients to race remote controlled cars with police officers and firefighters.

Seven-year-old Tristian Warren of Enterprise was one of the children who took advantage of the opportunity.

“This is what got him up this morning,” said Tristian’s mother, Asta Warren.

Asta Warren said it was nice for Tristian to have something to distract from his medical treatments, which required them to travel about three hours from home for a six-week period.

“It takes their mind off why they’re here,” she said.

Children’s Harbor has a retreat facility located at Lake Martin that will provide 30 organizations space to hold their annual summer camps at no cost. The 66-acre facility features extensive water frontage, zero-entry swimming pools, handicap accessible tree house, miniature golf, basketball and volleyball courts, canoeing, activity rooms and more.

A record of 4,600 campers will attend camp this summer that will be able to reconnect and meet children with similar diagnoses such as cancer, organ transplants, autism, serious burns, the visually impaired, and spinal cord injuries, among others.

“No municipality has been more supportive of Children’s Harbor’s work for the disabled and ill children in the state of Alabama than the city of Hoover,” Children’s Harbor CEO Myrle Grate said. “The Hoover Public Safety Foundation makes it possible for children who have cancer, autism, severe burns, organ transplants and more to attend a unique camp experience at our retreat facility. These camp experiences could not be provided without the support of these organizations.”

The Hoover Public Safety Foundation was formed in 2012 and has contributed more than $165,000 to local charities including Camp Conquest, UAB Comprehensive Cancer Research, American Cancer Society and Children’s Harbor.