Goofy and Donald Duck, not terms like urban revitalisation, are uppermost in the minds of children at a camp on St. Monica's Mission.

But the kids in the photo above may well be key players in the effort to rejuvenate the Pembroke area known as "42nd Street''.

Seventeen 5-9-year-olds attend the KIE children's camp -- operated for the past eight years by former nursery school assistant Janet Francis.

Last November the camp faced homelessness when she was given notice to vacate Grace Church Hall after five successful years there.

"I was very brokenhearted,'' Mrs. Francis said. "Because they didn't come to me and say anything. I thought we had an open communication.'' The search for a new base taught her some important lessons about Island churches. Not all God's children are created equal was one of them.

"We went to all the churches -- all the denominations,'' Mrs. Francis said.

"I was left with a stale taste in my mouth. Some people only cater to their own denomination.'' And they told her as much.

The KIE camp caters to everybody, including special needs kids. And those parents who can't afford the $75 a week fee can ask for help. "I was very surprised at the attitude of senior citizens (who sat on the church committees) toward the children.'' Some gave the "excuse'' that they were renovating -- the same reason given by Grace Church for the notice to quit.

KIE, incidentally, is the first three letters of the name of her youngest son Kieron - and is pronounced "key'' to symbolise "to open the door of opportunity''.

Mrs. Francis doesn't think it kosher to publicly name the churches that rejected her children. Besides, the camp now has a new home -- in the midst of society's other rejects. The search finally came to an end when Father Gary Corville of St. John's Anglican Church offered her the hall at St. Monica's Mission.

Camp finds home on `42nd Street' The camp's move into its new home this week amounts to a massive vote of confidence in a community's ability to solve some of Bermuda's most pressing social issues. Nobody remembers the last time a children's camp was held in 42nd Street.

Well aware that the entire area is widely believed to be a haven for drug dealers, Mrs. Francis, like the children that attend her camp, is full of hope.

"I am hoping that the children's camp could bring a little positivity to the area,'' she told The Royal Gazette . "Maybe we can work with the young men.

Maybe they have some creative skills they can pass on to the children.'' KIE plans on sticking around a while. "The children seem to like it. We've had no problems with the boys there.'' In any case, she said, the children will be safe -- the camp is supervised by two senior teachers and three part-time senior CedarBridge students.

"I don't think drugs are dealt there as much as they used to be. Maybe a bit of drugs but they are mainly hanging out,'' Mrs. Francis said.

"I think with the young people gathering in the area -- it's either they have nothing else to do or they don't have a job.'' Mrs. Francis' social ambitions are in lock step with the efforts of MPs Ottiwell Simmons and Nelson Bascome. Plans are afoot to turn Pig Field, just down the hill from St. Monica's Mission, into a play area for children and developing a recreational centre in the area.

Whether that succeeds depends on people like the giant of a man who stood in the middle of the road as a reporter entered 42nd Street. He politely bummed a cigarette and gave directions to St. Monica's Mission.

Then he turned around and offered another man some "ganja''.

"Who sent you ?'' bellowed another young man trying to sound threatening. His friends hanging out with him laughed.

The children were out playing tennis.