‘The Directors’ Play at Camp Fantastic BBQ

Members of the Directors band perform outside, raise money for charity.

Strings of Science. Members of the The Directors band jam at the annual Camp Fantastic Barbecue held on June 15.

Photo: Chia-Chi Charlie Chang

Dr. John O’Shea plays the electric bass.

NIAMS scientific director Dr. John O’Shea performs with The Directors band.

Photo: Chia-Chi Charlie Chang

Cassie Parks plays violin outside the Clinical Center

Violinist/vocalist Cassie Parks, a recent NIAMS postbac, performs.

Photo: Chia-Chi Charlie Chang

Katz plays guitar and sings into the microphone outside the Clinical Center

NIAMS director Dr. Stephen Katz performs at Camp Fantastic barbecue.

Photo: Chia-Chi Charlie Chang

A woman chats with Smith at information table for Camp Fantastic

Dave Smith, CEO of Special Love, Inc., which hosts Camp Fantastic, chats with barbecue attendees about the annual getaway for children with cancer.

Photo: Chia-Chi Charlie Chang

Smiling people stand behind tables outside giving away promotional items

Representatives of several organizations are on hand at the event with logo items to give away.

Photo: Chia-Chi Charlie Chang

A volunteer loads up a plate of barbecue under the tent outside Bldg. 10.

Volunteers serve up lunch from Rocklands BBQ and dessert from Funnel Fare. Proceeds from meal ticket sales benefit the camp—$700 sends a kid to camp for the week; $25 pays for a camper’s craft supplies.

Photo: Chia-Chi Charlie Chang

A woman tosses a plastic fish into a bowl at Camp Fantastic fundraiser.

Games include a fish bowl toss.

Photo: Chia-Chi Charlie Chang

The annual Camp Fantastic BBQ set up on June 15 on the Bldg. 31A patio. The afternoon featured food, games, silent auction and a mini vendor fair.

Highlighting the event was a live performance by The Directors band. As usual, proceeds—about $3,400 this year—from meal ticket sales and the silent auction will go to Camp Fantastic, the week-long summer getaway for kids with cancer.

Lunch was provided by Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Co., with dessert from Funnel Fare. Games and activities included Parti Pics photo booths, prize wheels, fish bowl toss, darts and corn hole.

Among items slated for the auction were an autographed picture of Washington Capitals hockey great Alex Ovechkin and tickets to the Quicken Loans National golf tournament and Washington Nationals baseball games.

Camp runs Aug. 13-19 this year and there is still time to contribute. Visit http://specialove.org/donate/.