To help celebrate their 10-year partnership with Camp Sunshine at Sebago Lake, Tropical Smoothie Café announced the launch of “Share the Sunshine” campaign to identify and send deserving families to the upstate Maine camp that offers a fun experience to children with life-threatening illnesses. Camp Sunshine is the only program in the nation offered year-round with the distinction of having been designed to serve the entire family in a retreat model. The program includes on-site medical and psychosocial support.
“Typically, it takes about $2,500 to cover the costs of sending a family to Camp Sunshine,” says Jennie Hong, senior director of brand marketing and strategy for Tropical Smoothie Café. “We’ve been supporting Camp Sunshine through nearly $4 million in donations over the past 10 years … but we wanted to do more. That’s why we’re asking everyone to please share stories—either their own, a friend’s, or a family member’s in the hopes of giving them a much-needed bright spot in their lives.”
To make a nomination and help Tropical Smoothie Café share the sunshine, fans can simply go online to submit a family’s name and share a story of why they could benefit from a Camp Sunshine Trip. Tropical Smoothie Café will select at least 10 families from the submitted nominations to attend the camp. Selected families will be notified following the completion of National Flip Flop Day, which takes place on Friday, June 17. National Flip Flop Day has become an annual tradition in the Tropical Smoothie Café system where Jetty Punch, a strawberry banana smoothie, is given away to everyone who walks through the cafe doors in flip flops from 2 to 7 p.m. All the brand asks is that guests make a donation to the Camp Sunshine effort. Last year the brand raised $1 million and looks forward to another successful year on its 10th anniversary.
“How do you make a difference?” asks CEO Mike Rotondo. “Be bold, do the things that people say can’t be done, and stop at nothing to achieve your goals. This year we set a goal to raise a million dollars to support as many Camp Sunshine families as possible, and I have no doubts we will do just that on this milestone anniversary.”
