National Advisory Council
Mrs. Mary Bishop Bargate is the Chairperson of the National Advisory Council for The Camp-aign for American Kids. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Mary lived in England for 25 years until returning to the U.S. in 1987. She is a passionate supporter of the arts and a faithful member of Christ Church in Exeter, New Hampshire.
Let me begin by saying that I am grateful for the creation of The Camp-aign for American Kids and am proud to serve as the head of its National Advisory Council.
I’ll be the first to admit that our American way of life has been quite good to me over the years. It has allowed me to travel extensively, and to practice and enjoy the arts.
My interest in helping children began in the 1940s, while teaching at the Manhattan School of Music, a settlement school on E. 105th St. in New York City. I’ve always believed that the opportunity to pursue the “American Dream,” which continues to draw millions of people from all over the world to our shores, requires hard work and persistence. But once attained, the American Dream can quickly evaporate into a grim reality if it is not also maintained.
Pearl S. Buck, the winner of the 1938 Nobel Prize for literature—the first ever awarded to an American woman—wrote, “If our American way of life fails the child, it fails us all.”
For many of us, the edge of the American Dream has been tarnished by the worrisome situation of our young people. I am sad to admit that the American way of life seems to be failing them.
Enjoying the American Dream involves much more than merely being self-satisfied. Enjoying life in America requires the knowledge that, when we finally go to our reward, the little ones being groomed to follow in our wake will also be able to enjoy “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
That’s one reason why helping The Camp-aign for American Kids is so important to me. It gives me the satisfaction of knowing that the children, who are destined to inherit a far more complicated life than ours, will still have the opportunity to experience the goodness of the American way of life, just as we all have.
Let me take this opportunity to encourage you to learn more about The Camp-aign and why it is so important to the future of our country.
You can become involved in a number of ways:
- Join me as a member of the National Advisory Council. Please contact me today.
- Sponsor an event in your community or local house of worship. Jon Sherry, our founder, would be happy to come and speak. To learn more about bringing a guest speaker to your area, please click Plan an Event now.
- Involve your house of worship. Ask your missions committee to add The Camp-aign to the list of outreach organizations that it supports. For assistance in this matter please contact Camp-aign Headquarters.
- Spread the word! Send information about The Camp-aign to your friends and family today!
- Give. Make a tax-deductible contribution. Here are some giving options.
Thank you for visiting The Camp-aign for American Kids. I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Mary Bishop Bargate
National Advisory Council Chairperson
