CITY YOUTHS GETTING BREATH OF FRESH AIR AT CAMPSITES : SALVATION ARMY OUTDOORS PROGRAM IN 50TH YEAR.

Byline: Susan Goldsmith Daily News Staff Writer

About 100 underprivileged children from the Los Angeles area started a weeklong adventure in the mountains Wednesday, trading the crowded city streets for swimming, nature hikes and cabin living.

Bused into the Salvation Army's Gilmore and Mount Crags camps, the youngsters greeted their new canyon home with shrieks of excitement and quickly began exploring their new surroundings.

``I'm happy to be getting away from my brother,'' said 11-year-old Randy of Simi Valley, who spent part of the afternoon making new friends in one of the camp's lodges. ``They say it's going to be sports all the time, and that sounds fun, but I'm a little worried my counselors might be mean.''

Now in their 50th year, the Salvation Army camps in Malibu offer weeklong programs each summer to 2,000 youngsters from throughout Los Angeles County between the ages of 7 and 12.

Although the cost of the program is $165 a child, no youngster is turned away because of an inability to pay. The fees are set on a sliding-scale basis, with private donations covering portions of the cost, said Allison Starrett, the camp's administrative assistant.

``Most of the kids just love it here and don't want to go home because they don't live in places where there's lots of grass and trees,'' said Starrett, who asked that only the children's first names be released.

``For many of them there are tough things going on at home, and it breaks your heart to put them on the bus and send them home,'' she said.

During the summer, the Malibu camps host weeklong programs focusing on music, crafts, sports or educational programs for children. This week's program centers on sports, featuring baseball, basketball, football and soccer clinics, Starrett said.

Lorena, a 9-year-old from Newhall, made some fast friends on the bus to camp, and by the time she arrived, she was ready for a week of fun.

``There's different sports to do here and you get to rope climb,'' said the little girl who has been to the camp twice before. ``Summer would be boring if I couldn't come to camp.''

Austen Hardwick, a camp counselor from England, said the program helps the youngsters develop emotionally and physically.

``It's great here,'' Hardwick said. ``Some of the kids have money and some don't, but they all have the same chances here.''

Even though 13-year-old Renato was thrilled to be spending a week in the mountains, he was worried about a few things when he stepped off the bus.

``It looks nice, and I hope we have a good time here,'' the Glendale boy said. ``I hope the food's not too gross.''

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