YMCA Camp
Marston in Julian, CA is hosting the
National Military Family Association's popular Operation Purple summer
camp this week August 22-27, 2010. The Association developed this free summer camp program in
response to the need for increased support for military children, especially
those whose parents are or will be deployed.
240 kids,
ages 7 15, from all over San Diego County and beyond attend the camp for FREE
thanks to support from the Sierra Club and The Sierra Club Foundation.
¢âÂÒOur mission is to empower these military children our youngest heroes
to develop and maintain healthy and connected relationships, in spite of the
current military environment. Kids attending Operation Purple camp will
have the opportunity to learn the skills to cope with the stress of a
deployment and make friends with other kids who are also missing their mom or
dad,¢âÂå said Mary Scott, the Association's Chairman of the Board. ¢âÂÒThe National
Military Family Association is excited to work with the YMCA of San Diego
County on this very worthwhile program.¢âÂå
Children have the opportunity to share their military
parents' stories and photos on the ¢âÂÒWall of Honor¢âÂå and with the rest of the
campers. Each camper brings in a picture of their family member and it is
posted with notes and letters on a wall for the entire week.
The camp is ¢âÂÒpurple¢âÂå which means that is open to
children of service members of any branch of Service, active duty, National
Guard or Reserve, as well as children of members of the Commissioned Corps of
the Public Health Service and National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration.
On Wed., Aug 24 there will be a landing of a US
Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk
Medium Range
Recovery Helicopter. Also, the 1st Marine Logistics Group, Seventh
Engineer Support Battalion from Camp Pendleton
will arrive in a 7-ton battle truck and Humvee, including four Marines in full
battle gear.
Operation
Purple campers
will be able to meet the Marines and Coast Guard service members, view
equipment, take photos and ask questions.
Camp Marston, in Julian, is owned
and operated by the YMCA of San Diego County. Situated on 236 acres of
forests, trails and meadows, the camp features a pond for boating and fishing,
archery and marksmanship ranges, play fields, swimming pool and lodging for 280
children and staff. Marston operates year round with traditional summer
youth camps, school outdoor education programs, family camps and group
rentals. In all, over 17,000 children and adults attend YMCA Camp Marston
each year.