Camp C.O.P.E. coming to town to aid military kids

FORT DRUM — Camp C.O.P.E. is coming here next month to help children whose military parents have been deployed, wounded or killed learn how to cope with their emotions.

Sarah Balint-Bravo, co-founder of the Dallas organization, said she's looking for more mental health providers, schoolteachers or others who work with children to enroll in the March 19 training on post so they can host Camp C.O.P.E. events throughout the north country in the future.

"Counselors are trained in our curriculum," she said. "It's different from a regular camp where they're doing fun horseback riding or swimming, where we're teaching more coping skills to deal with their struggles and frustrations."

People interested in becoming trained in Camp C.O.P.E. activities should call Mrs. Balint-Bravo at 1 (214) 991-2673.

Volunteers will participate in the March 19 training workshops before they work directly with Camp C.O.P.E. directors and licensed therapists to lead activities for children March 20.

During the 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. March 20 event, trained staff will help children work on 15 skills, including handling stress and fears, anger management, understanding changes within family, coping skills, dealing with sadness and loss, empowerment and appropriate expression of feelings. There is no charge for participation in the event.

"All activities are indirect, or as direct as a child wants to make them," Mrs. Balint-Bravo said. "They're not forced to talk about something they're not comfortable to talk about."

She said C.O.P.E. stands for the courage, optimism, patience and encouragement.

Since children are split into groups based on age, Mrs. Balint-Bravo said, it's easier for them to talk with their peers about what they're going through. Groups also are based on whether the children's parents are deployed, wounded or dead.

"We never want to mix those groups because we don't want to transfer feelings of the children," Mrs. Balint-Bravo said.

It is the organization's goal to travel to every military installation in the nation to host Camp C.O.P.E. events and train local communities on how to host their own Camp C.O.P.E. events. While a trained therapist will lead the March 19 training workshops, Mrs. Balint-Bravo said, a licensed therapist practicing in the north country would have to step up to the plate to continue Camp C.O.P.E. events locally.

Background checks will be completed on all people who volunteer for the event. Applications are available on the organization's Web site.

Twenty children already are pre-registered for the event. Mrs. Balint-Bravo said up to 150 children can be accommodated.

Camp C.O.P.E. is coming to Fort Drum thanks to funding from a Fisher House-Newman's Own award, the Lynx Foundation and ReMIND.org.

Although the Fort Drum Soldier and Family Assistance Center was instrumental in helping to coordinate the Camp C.O.P.E. event, Mrs. Balint-Bravo said, the post is not directly affiliated with the event.

ON THE NET

Camp C.O.P.E.: www.campcope.org