History and Mission
Peaceable Kingdom Retreat for Children and Variety – The Children’s Charity of Texas, announce the merger of the two non-profit organizations. The goal of the merger is to create strength and sustainability for programs for Texas children with special needs.
Peaceable Kingdom Retreat for Children (PKRC), was established in 1984 to offer a place where children with special needs can celebrate the health-giving benefits of nature. Philanthropists Jim and Daurice Bowmer founded the organization in memory of their grandson, Charles Bowmer Schreiner, V, who died of a heart ailment at 11 months of age. “Baby Charlie’s Fishing Camp”, as it was originally known, started as a day retreat for chronically ill children and their families. Since that time, the facilities and programs have greatly expanded to meet the increasing need for services for children with chronic or terminal illness and special needs. The retreat now occupies 150 acres along the Lampasas River in Central Texas’ scenic Hill Country, and offers an Environmental Education Program, a Weekend Retreat Program, a Summer Camp Program and a Physical Therapy Program. PKRC hosts nearly 5,000 children and families annually, and is the only organization of its’ kind to serve Central Texas children with special needs.
Variety – The Children’s Charity of Texas (Variety) was established in 1936 with a mission of assisting special needs children. Variety, supporting Texas as “Tent 17”, is part of the international organization Variety – The Children’s Charity, dedicated to promoting and protecting the health and well-being of children around the world. Throughout Texas, Variety is known for providing critical medical equipment to children’s hospitals, gifting bicycles to underprivileged children and other charitable endeavors. While Variety began through the “Heart of Show Business”, its’ members and volunteers now come not only from the entertainment industry, but also from a “variety” of business, industry and professional organizations.
Variety has been associated with Peaceable Kingdom since 1997, when Variety hosted a fundraising event at South Fork Ranch in Dallas to honor Lee Roy Mitchell, from which the proceeds funded the construction of the “Theater in the Woods” at PKRC. Both charities have been generously supported by the Lee Roy Mitchell Family of Dallas and The Mitchell Foundation. In 2007, Variety and The Mitchell Foundation agreed to fund $1,000,000 ($100,000 per year for 10 years) to construct a state-of-the-art equestrian center at PKRC. Since then, $400,000 has been raised for that purpose, and Variety, Peaceable Kingdom and The Mitchell Foundation desire to see the project completed.
Therefore, PKRC and Variety have merged with the goal of offering greater capacity and services for children with special needs. Under this plan, Variety and Peaceable Kingdom have merged in a way that Peaceable Kingdom has become a program of Variety. The merger brings together two entities with complimentary missions providing for long-term sustainability and growth.
For more information of Variety, The Children's Charity of Texas, visit www.varietytexas.org.
