1963. In this year, Father Pyrounakis faces an acute social problem. In the city of Elefsina, where he lives—a city that is both industrial and a major port—he observes that conditions are ripe for an increase in juvenile delinquency. Many children live neglected by society, and their families face serious problems. From now on, he will focus on these children, who, if left unattended, risk being permanently marginalized by society.
So he begins a new camping effort, with a special socialization program, on Mount Pateras, and that year he and his family hosted 51 children from families with great economic and social needs for one month. It was a bold experiment that succeeded and continued in the following years through the “Happy Children – Happy Youth” Camps, which gained legal status with the establishment of the association of the same name in 1964.
The Camp community—a just, caring, and well-organized society—would convey the message to the hundreds of children hosted there that it is a community of acceptance, one that treats them with love and trust, thus showing them the positive side of life. Through the daily programs of the Camp, the children would discover their abilities and realize that they too are capable and useful to society and that they can coexist peacefully with others.
These camps, during the 25 years they operated (1963–1988), hosted a total of 1,100 children (60–80 in each session). Markos Kynigos, Antonis Kallitsis, Soula Rentoumi, Giannis Tsinias, and younger staff members managed these camps, with more than 120 people assisting as staff.
The results were not long in coming. These children began to integrate smoothly into the society of Elefsina and, in turn, to contribute to their fellow citizens. Many young people, as they grow up, seek to participate in good works, especially in the Camp’s work, feeling the need to give back to others and help as they themselves were helped. The circle of responsible citizens grows, and the socialization envisioned by Father G. Pyrounakis—who passed away in 1988—and his collaborators becomes a reality.