Nicole, a sophomore at Cristo Rey High School, serves as a camp counselor at Mary Help of Christians summer camp. She has seen first-hand the benefits that summer camp can bring to a child, including making new friends, trying new activities and gaining a wealth of new life experiences. However, Nicole realized that many families don't have the financial resources to send their children to summer camp, and these children miss out on those valuable life lessons.
Nicole's initiative is going to cover the cost of admission to KinderCare Camp for more than 70 children between the ages of five and seven who are in need of financial assistance. "I want to help kids attend camp who otherwise may not be able to because of the cost," said Nicole. She wants to see that every child, regardless of socio-economic status, can have the opportunity to enjoy the summer camp experience. Additionally, she wants to bring STEM programming to the camp's offering of activities, so children can receive educational enrichment alongside their other valuable camp activities.
Nicole Singletary becomes the 316th Lightning Community Hero since Jeff and Penny Vinik introduced the Lightning Community Hero program in 2011-12 with a $10 million, five-season commitment to the Tampa Bay community. Through this evening's game, in total, the Lightning Foundation has granted $15.9 million to more than 400 different nonprofits in the Greater Tampa Bay area. During the summer of 2016, the Vinik's announced that the community hero program will give away another $10-million over the next five seasons.
