A camp in Santa Cruz County for people with disabilities has been dealt yet another setback just months after a destructive wildfire leveled its facilities.
Camp Krem, a non-profit located in Boulder Creek, has announced they were burglarized and vandalized last week as the area was under evacuation orders due to fears over mudslides in hart-hit wildfire areas. Thieves stole a generator, smashed windows on five vans, siphoned gas and stole a gas hose.
The property had already sustained widespread damage in the CZU Lightning Complex fire last year, losing 30 buildings to the flames.
Camp Krem has been abandoned ever since, as reported by KGO-TV.
"This destructive act is especially upsetting, on top of everything else, because our vehicles were the only thing that the wildfire had not destroyed or damaged," an emotional Facebook post said. "They were practically all that we had left."
The generator stolen was worth an estimated $10,000.
"It has really kicked our small non-profit while we were already down, but we won't let it dampen our spirits," the post added. "We have work to do - a camp to rebuild, vehicles to fix and campers to serve!"
The camp has been in operation since 1957, offering single-day and overnight programs for children and adults with developmental disabilities. They're hoping to raise money for recovery and rebuilding through an online campaign, paired with limited funds available through FEMA.
