Summer camps offer stress relief
At least 320 military children in the north country will be able to attend free summer camps in August.
The two camps fall under different nonprofit programs, but they have the same objective: Get military kids that are dealing with deployments outside and away from the day-to-day stresses.
Aldersgate Camp & Retreat Center, Lowville, will host the National Military Family Association Operation Purple from Aug. 2 to 7, and Armed Services YMCA, Watertown, will host a camp in Redwood from Aug. 17 to 23.
"What we find, and this is true for most of our programs for military children, the topic of deployment will come up on its own," said Rebecca L. Reed, senior director at the Watertown YMCA. "These kids have this in common and it does come up. There is a lot of stress on them, and it's a great opportunity for them to share with kids who are going through the same thing."
Both camps are free, but as of Tuesday, there were only 20 open spots for the Armed Services YMCA camp. Operation Purple has a waiting list of 110 children, and it continues to grow. Operation Purple has room for 220 children and the Armed Services YMCA has space for 100.
Both camps are sponsored in part by the Sierra Club Military Families Outdoors Program. The Sierra Club began funding Operation Purple in 2007. The Armed Services YMCA camp began in 2008. In the past, there have been 26,000 veterans, service members and children to go through the programs.
"It's a natural stress relief from being outdoors," said Brittany A. McKee, the Sierra Club military representative. "We also have an adventure course for returning veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. It's a change for them to reconnect and rejuvenate and use those combat skills in a positive outdoor, mentally and physically challenging environment."
Last year was the first time either camp was near Fort Drum. The programs are open to children of National Guard and Reserve parents as well as children with a parent serving in any active-duty branch.
Those interested in registering for the Armed Services YMCA camp should call Project Strong Communities at 755-2016. To be placed on the waiting list for Operation Purple, visit www.operationpurple.org.
