Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 9265 in south Oklahoma City recently raised $3,260 in a motorcycle poker run for the Camp ClapHans scholarship endowment fund at the J. D. McCarty Center for children with developmental disabilities in Norman.
"We are very pleased to have groups like the VFW conduct fundraisers on our behalf," said Uwe von Schamann, director of development and fundraising for the McCarty Center. "The development of this scholarship endowment fund is a huge job, and it's going to take groups like the VFW to step up and assist us in making this fund grow."
Fifty-four motorcycles participated in the 69-mile poker run that started and ended at VFW Post 9265.
"One of our post members has a child with autism," said Sheila Walker, one of the poker run organizers. "It was suggested that we select an organization that helps kids with autism.
The Camp ClapHans scholarship endowment fund will be used to assist parents in paying part or all of the camp tuition for this summer camp. The summer camp is now in the construction bidding process. It is anticipated that Camp ClapHans will be open in the summer of 2011.
Camp ClapHans is named in honor of Sammy Jack Claphan, a Cherokee citizen from Stillwell. Claphan played offensive tackle for the University of Oklahoma and later played in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers and the Cleveland Browns. Claphan had a degree in special education. When he retired from professional football he returned to Oklahoma where he coached and taught special education. Claphan died suddenly in 2001 at the age of 45.
