Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary (DAVA) Unit #63 Commander Shirley Plahovinsak, pictured on left, displays the “Lucky Bucket” that will send, in 2025, thirteen (13) children of wounded, disabled or fallen military heroes to Camp Corral, a one-week summer camp. Camp Corral is sponsored by the Golden Corral Restaurant and Brandon York, (left), the Eastgate Plaza Golden Corral Restaurant Manager, looks on at the conclusion of the drive.
This “Lucky Bucket” used in collecting the donations that helped gather $3,933.67 in donations, which was doubled by the DAV Just b’ Kids Scholarship Program, resulting in 13 kids attending the Camp in 2025. Photo courtesy Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary (DAVA) Unit #63.
For a second year in a row, the efforts of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary (DAVA) Unit #63 (Clermont County) are going to send a double-digit number of children to Camp Corral.
Camp Corral is a one-week Summer Camp for children whose parents were killed in action, wounded, or suffered permanent disability while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The motivating theme for the summer camp is Just b’ Kids.
The Camp Corral Program was founded by the Golden Corral Restaurant chain and in 2024, they had nineteen (19) camps for children located throughout the United States.
For seven (7) days starting on June 28, 2024, DAVA unit members were at the Golden Corral Restaurant, at the Eastgate Plaza, and accepted donations totaling $3,933.67. The established cost associated with sending one (1) child to Camp Corral is $600.00.
The $3,933.67 total donated at the Golden Corral Restaurant, includes three (3) checks from: DAV Chapter #1 (Cincinnati) for $600; DAV Chapter #63 (Clermont County) for $600; and DAV Department of Ohio for $1,200.
On March 16, 2024, the DAV National Headquarters announced that it was re-establishing the Just b’ Kids Scholarship Program. It stated that all donations collected by DAV chapters and DAVA units turned into the National Headquarters by July 7, 2024, would be doubled.
DAVA Unit #63 met the deadline on July 5, 2024, to qualify for the “doubling effect.” The $3,933.67 collected was now yielded $7,867.34 for the DAV Just b’ Kids Scholarship Program.
According to Unit #63 Commander Shirley Plahovinsak, “We wanted to accept donations on July 4, 2024, at the Golden Corral Restaurant. Each donor, courtesy of the DAV #63 Chapter, received a 3” x 5” inch American Flag for helping us help send children to Camp Corral.”
On July 16, 2024, DAV National Adjutant Barry Jesinoski commended the effort made by the DAVA Unit in raising the funds for the DAV Just b’ Kids Scholarship Program.
“Your gift will benefit the children of brave military families, providing a week full of fun and excitement,” said DAV National Adjutant Jesinoski. “The kids will have the opportunity to share adventures while being surrounded by others in similar situations allowing them to Just Be Kids!”
“We are very thankful that organizations like the DAV Department of Ohio, Chapter 1 (Cincinnati) and Chapter #63 (Clermont County), heard about our efforts and sent checks to support these children at Camp Corral,” said Commander Plahovinsak.
“Of course, we could not have been able to collect this amount without the help and cooperation of Golden Corral Manager Brandon York and his great staff,” said Plahovinsak.
Through the Just b’ Kids Scholarship Program, more than 6,000 children of wounded, disabled or fallen veterans throughout the nation have attended Camp Corral Programs for free.
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