Friendship and joy
<p>Camp Goodtimes camper Mia Vigil, 8, watches Gonzaga University point guard Josh Perkins creates a ceramic object on Monday during the basketball team's visit to the camp at YMCA Camp Reed. The week-long camp is directed towards families affected by childhood cancer, and Gonzaga athletes have visited the camp every year.</p>
<p>Gonzaga University center Ryan Edwards helps Camp Goodtimes camper Elliott Attrill, 9, attach protective equipment to Attrill's arm before shooting arrows at the camp's archery range on Monday during the basketball team's visit to the camp at YMCA Camp Reed. The week-long camp is directed towards families affected by childhood cancer, and Gonzaga athletes have visited the camp every year.</p>
<p>Gonzaga University combo guard Bryan Alberts, right, and teammmate Kyle Wiltjer, left, play a game of "Silent Opera" blindfolded on Monday during the basketball team's visit to the camp at YMCA Camp Reed. The week-long camp is directed towards families affected by childhood cancer, and Gonzaga athletes have visited the camp every year.</p>
<p>From left to right, Gonzaga University basketball players Kyle Wiltjer, Ryan Edwards, and Bryan Alberts play a game of "Silent Opera" as Camp Gootimes camper Brysen Parker, center right laughs during the basketball team's visit to the camp on Monday at YMCA Camp Reed. The week-long camp is directed towards families affected by childhood cancer, and Gonzaga athletes have visited the camp every year.</p>
DEER PARK, Wash. - Gary Bell, Jr. and Kevin Pangos, two of three seniors on the Gonzaga men's basketball team, made small clay sculptures while making a big difference at Camp Goodtimes at Camp Reed, located 31 miles north of Spokane.
The pair, along with five Zags teammates, helped put some extra smiles on the faces of some of the 78 young children and teenagers at the cost-free, seven-day summer camp, which serves boys and girls with cancer and children whose friends or family members are suffering with cancer.
Pangos visited campers along the shores of Fan Lake for the fourth straight year.
"I treat them like I treat everybody else," said Pangos, a 6-foot-2 guard who was second on the Zags in scoring with 14.5 points per game and second with 3.7 assists per game. "I try to bring a smile to their face, however that is, but when I first saw it (four years ago), I was really impressed with the camp, how everyone's attitude was and all the activities they have are pretty cool."
Pangos, who grew up in Holland Landing, Ontario, said the appearances helped bring the Gonzaga experience to young people who may not be able to watch the team in person.
"I think it's good for us to give back," Pangos said. The kids are up here for camp and watch us play, and some have never had a chance to meet us or watch us play live."
Bell paid a visit for his third year. Last year, the American Cancer Society dropped its summer camp program nationwide, until the YMCA of the Inland Northwest applied for and picked up the program the same year. The 55-acre area includes a waterfront area for small canoes and boats, an archery range, soccer field, sleeping quarters, a large lodge, a game room and cabins for various activities. The Gonzaga men's basketball players - including junior Kyle Wiltjer, sophomore Ryan Edwards and freshmen Josh Perkins and Bryan Alberts - were separated into smaller groups and spread throughout the camp. Two of the players came out from their activities wearing hats made of grass.
Camp Goodtimes, which has been around for 20 years, was temporarily moved to Ross Point Baptist Camp in Post Falls before being moved back to Camp Reed, which hosted the camp from 1985 until 2005.
"My first time at Camp Reed, we usually were at Camp Goodtimes, close to Coeur d'Alene," said Bell, a 6-foot-2 guard who last season was third on the Bulldogs in scoring. "But it's always a good experience to come here. We just have a good time, there's always stuff to do. We took out the time and spend time with these guys and it's great, giving back to the community, they (some of them) have cancer, showing them they can still have fun, even though you're going through some tough times."
One of those kids who have been going through some tough times was Sydney Jones, a 16-year-old from Hayden who will be a junior this fall at Lakeland High. Jones, who has attended the camp for nine years, suffers from leukemia.
"They're fine, they're nice," Jones said. "They signed my shirt. One was Gary. It's great."
Jerrid Keefer, who works for the five month-old Community Cancer Fund, helped bring the players to the camp. On Aug. 17 at The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course, there will be "The Showcase," a nine-hole exhibition golf challenge, featuring PGA Tour professionals and celebrities. There will also be a dinner and auction as a fundraiser to help pay for the costs of future campers.
"It was Coach Few and his wife Marcy," Keefer said of the Gonzaga men's basketball head coach, who is the chairman of Coaches vs. Cancer and has helped raise more than $1.2 million for Camp Goodtimes since 2002. "We do an annual paddle race every August to raise funds to send these children to camp (for free). Camp Goodtimes is a big deal in this area, so that's why when the decision was made nationally to discontinue the camp, a group of local entities banded together to make sure this was something that we continued."
Gonzaga freshman Silas Melson, who played for Jefferson High in Portland, was at Camp Reed for the first time and had never spent time with kids with cancer at a summer camp.
"They're real upbeat, real joyful," Melson said of the campers. "They're happy to see basketball players."
One of the local area kids who enjoyed the appearances was Jaykob Morse of Coeur d'Alene, a basketball fan who will be a fourth-grade student this fall at Ramsey Elementary. Morse will celebrate his 10th birthday on Aug. 13. Morse is suffering with aplastic anemia, where the body stops producing enough blood cells. He has also gone through liver failure.
"I'm pretty excited," Morse said of meeting the players. "I think this camp is a great place to show off your friends, family, camping, just having fun. Honestly, I just have an incredible joy for basketball."
Kyle Beaumann, a 14-year-old who is going into his freshman year at Post Falls High, is at the camp since his father, Kyle Sr., has liver cancer.
"It is probably the best camp I've ever been to," Beaumann said. "I didn't know at first (the players were coming), but it really surprised me."
Both players and campers alike teamed up to create a memorable experience.
To buy tickets for the Showcase, log on to: http://www.cdaresort.com/discover/golf/events/showcase