The Walter Smith Foundation is proud to be the first recipient of the “Founders’ Award” presented by Wayne and Diane Tesch at the Royal Family banquet in March 2002.

The following is a copy of the kind words bestowed on the Walter Smith Foundation by Wayne Tesch:

“. . . there are four individuals who we want to recognize tonight as recipients of the Founders’ Award for their support of the ministry of Royal Family.

"These are people who’ve made our load a little lighter, and the world a little brighter for abused children.  The engraving on each purple vase reads:  FOUNDERS’ AWARD—presented by Royal Family Kids’ Camps, Inc. to (The Walter Smith Foundation) for dedicated, creative ways of supporting ministry to abused children, March 14, 2002.

"The first of these is an individual whose whole family has become involved in Royal Family, ever since she and her late husband were Grandma and Grandpa at the Costa Mesa Camp.  Together, they served over 20 years of combined service to the hundreds of kids at this camp.

"Probably their greatest notoriety during that time was making possible the thousands of pieces of mail that flowed through the camp mail boxes to the kids and staff in the course of a given week of camp.

"When you would ask why he would stay up all night writing notes to the kids at camp, Grandpa Walt would say, ‘I have 51 weeks a year to sleep . . . These kids seldom get mail—and if they do, it’s from the County or the State, and it’s usually not good news.’  Grandpa Walt passed away in 1999.

"Last year, The Walter Smith Foundation hosted the Walter Smith Golf Classic to benefit Royal Family.  Due to the hard work and creativity of the whole family: Jeff, John, Valerie, Marilyn, their spouses, the grandkids and the office staff, they raised a substantial sum [of $36,000].

"Loretta said:  ‘The best thing about the whole tournament was that my whole family was able to be involved’.

"For the many hundreds of children’s lives you’ve made to SHINE through your love, compassion and willingness to share the blessings of your family, we present this Founder’s Award to Loretta Smith.”