WATERBURY - When Sacred Heart High School's honor students learned the Campership Fund had fallen short of its goal, they decided to hold a bake sale to help send children to camp.

The National Honor Society students sold baked treats on two consecutive days in the late fall, raising $500 to send youngsters to camp this summer.

"Our students were very aware of wanting to help out," said Eileen Regan, the school's vice principal and director of development. "We feel very committed to helping children in the community that want to be able to enjoy going to camp."

Donations to the Campership Fund give boys and girls from the Greater Waterbury area an experience at one of the many summer camps in Connecticut. The fund is sponsored by the Republican-American and administered by the United Way of Greater Waterbury.

The fund has received $540 in donations this month, including $500 from the National Honor Society of Sacred Heart High School and $40 from Ms. Norma Smith, of 437 Frost Road, in memory of Robert H. Ruede of Meriden.

The more gifts received before the 2006 camp season begins, the earlier children can attend camp. In 2005, the fund raised $94,611.21 and sent 403 children to camp. One hundred percent of funds raised go to sending youngsters to camp.

Regan said Sacred Heart High School makes an annual $500 gift to the Campership fund each May, but this is the first time students raised additional money for the cause.

David Bedard of Naugatuck, a senior at Sacred Heart and president of National Honor Society, said he hopes the additional funds will help send as many children as possible to camp. "Places like camp help build communication skills, friendship skills, different things like that, meet new people, learn new things," he said.

Donations of any amount will be acknowledged in The Sunday Republican unless the donor wishes otherwise. They can be mailed to Mike Mucciacciaro, treasurer, Greater Waterbury Campership Fund, c/o Republican-American, P.O. Box 2090, Waterbury 06722.