About Us
Every summer, Camp Glimmer gives hundreds of children an opportunity to experience the joys of a first class summer camp. And best of all, it’s all free.
They get to play tennis, basketball, volleyball and street hockey as well as go on nature hikes and day-trips to places like Sea World, Volente Beach and Fiesta Texas.
Situated on picturesque Lake Travis, Camp Glimmer also offers educational activities designed to develop team building, self-esteem and leadership skills. These activities include outdoor education, music, arts and crafts, meditation, talent shows and poetry writing.
The children also receive a rare opportunity to learn from being in close contact with some outstanding role models and motivational speakers including local business owners and television personalities.
Among those to make appearances at Camp Glimmer have been former University of Texas quarterback Major Applewhite and the World’s Strongest Man Mark Henry.
Camp Glimmer is open to any child attending one of the programs funded by A Glimmer of Hope Austin. In the past two years, more than 1,200 children have passed through its gates.
According to Heart House Austin director Diane Cannon, Camp Glimmer is important to the children who attend.
“All the kids start asking ‘When can we go back?’ almost as soon as we get in the van to go home,” she said. “Most of their families don’t own cars and the buses don’t run to places like Camp Glimmer or Seaworld and Fiesta Texas so it really means a lot to these kids.”
Diane said Camp Glimmer makes the children feel like they’ve done something special with their vacation and it is consistently the number one topic for “What I did this Summer” essays when they return to school.
In addition to Heart House, a number of other organizations have been instrumental in the success of Camp Glimmer including the Austin Tennis Academy; the Andy Roddick Foundation; Set 2 Serve; the YMCA of Austin; True Light Day Care; Outreach Productions; Communities in Schools; Boys and Girls Clubs of the Capital Area; Central Texas Tennis Association; Council for At-Risk Youth; Family Link; and, Lifeworks.
Participation in Camp Glimmer is by invitation only.