Jul 20, 2009 7:35 pm US/Eastern
Actor Offers Trip To Kids In Swim Controversy
PHILADELPHIA (AP) ―
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Actor Tyler Perry speaks at the 2009 Turner UpFront at the Hammerstein Ballroom on May 20, 2009, in New York City.
Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images
Tyler Perry is paying for 65 children from a Philadelphia day camp to go to Walt Disney World after reading about allegations that a suburban swim club had shunned them because of racism.
The black and Hispanic children who attend the day camp run by Creative Steps Inc. cheered Monday when they learned about the actor's gift.
Creative Steps director Alethea Wright says she's thrilled about the offer, especially because Perry "comes from humble beginnings" like the children in her camp.
The Valley Club in Huntingdon Valley has maintained that refunding the camp's swimming fee was not about race but rather a safety issue, in part because many children couldn't swim.
Perry is best known for his signature character Madea, a big-hearted but foul-tempered grandmother.
(© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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