| VIDEO |
 * Purdue sponsors Indiana's first Operation Purple camp for children of deployed soldiers. (3 minutes, 22 seconds) |
| RELATED INFO |
| * Purdue Military Family Research Institute |
| * Purdue Department of Health and Kinesiology |
| * The National Military Family Association |
| * Operation Purple Summer Camps |
April 28, 2008
Operation Purple Camp marches into Purdue
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - |
The camp, created by the National Military Family Association, will take place June 1-7. Registration is available online at https://www.operationpurple.org through midnight on May 5.
"In 2007 more than 40 weeks of Operation Purple camps were held at more than 30 locations in 26 states," said Shelley MacDermid, director of Purdue's Military Family Research Institute. "We are excited to be able to join in this wonderful experience and support the children of military families. I am grateful to the Lilly Endowment for their support in adding this summer camp to our outreach mission."
Operation Purple Camps are designed to give military children the coping skills and support networks necessary to better handle the challenges in their lives. Purdue's Department of Health and Kinesiology is planning and organizing the program's activities.
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"Campers will participate in common summer camp activities including arts and crafts, a ropes course, swimming, fishing, and canoeing," said Bonnie Blankenship, program co-administrator and an associate professor of health and kinesiology.
In addition, daily small group sessions will focus on stress management and interpersonal communication activities to encourage campers to build trust and friendships among a group of their peers.
MacDermid said the Operation Purple program will serve as a complement to Kids AT Youth Camp, a summer camp program hosted in southern Indiana for the families of National Guard members.
"We know that children in National Guard families have access to Kids AT, and we wanted to create an opportunity for children in active duty and reserve families, too," MacDermid said. "Operation Purple Camp at Purdue will be a fun, active summer camp experience for everyone."
Nancy Alsheimer, chairman of the board of the National Military Family Association, said the Purdue location will be accessible for military children from Indiana and several surrounding states to attend.
"Operation Purple Camps provide a much needed respite from the worries of war that many of our nation's children face each day when their mom or dad is deployed," Alsheimer said. "NMFA is excited to work with Purdue on this very worthwhile program. Together we can make a difference in the lives of military children."
Operation Purple Camp at Purdue is open to children ages 10-15. Each camp is "purple" and open to children of service members of any branch of service, whether active duty, National Guard or reserve. Children of members of the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also are welcome.
Camps are free to all eligible children through a partnership with the Sierra Club Foundation and support from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation.
Operation Purple Camp at Purdue is supported by a collaboration between the Military Family Research Institute in the College of Consumer and Family Sciences and the Department of Health and Kinesiology in the College of Liberal Arts. The Purdue ROTC also has collaborated in the camp's development.
To learn more about Operation Purple, go to https://www.cfs.purdue.edu/mfri/op for information about camp events and activities, as well as deadlines and registration details.
Writer: Tanya Brown, (765) 494-2079, tanyabrown@purdue.edu
Sources: Shelley MacDermid, (765) 494-6026, shelley@purdue.edu
Bonnie Blankenship, (765) 494-3188, bblanke@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
PHOTO CAPTION:
Counselor Frank Baute gives instructions during a judo activity to Operation Purple Camp participants Hanna Richards of Rossville (top) and Keliann Mast of Lafayette on Thursday (June 5) at Purdue's Recreations Sports Center. More than 40 children from Indiana are participating this week in the free national summer camp aimed at offering support in a fun atmosphere to the children of military families. Purdue's Military Family Research Institute and the Department of Health and Kinesiology planned and organized the Purdue camp, which runs through Saturday. (Purdue News Service photo/David Umberger)
A publication-quality photo is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2008/OperationPurple-judo.jpg
PHOTO CAPTION:
Instructor Tim Phillips, (bottom) a graduate student in aerospace engineering at Purdue and an officer in the U.S. Navy, leads a judo activity with counselor Frank Baute on Thursday (June 5) for a group of Operation Purple Camp participants in the South Gym of the university's Recreations Sports Center. The weeklong camp, created by the National Military Family Association, is designed to give military children the coping skills and support networks necessary to better handle the challenges in their lives. This is the first time the camps have been held at Purdue. (Purdue News Service photo/David Umberger)
A publication-quality photo is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2008/OperationPurple-judo2.jpg
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