May 5, 2009

Purdue to host Operation Purple Camp

The camp, created by the National Military Family Association, will take place May 31 through June 6. Registration is available online at https://www.operationpurple.org and will be open until the camp reaches capacity.

"The Military Family Research Institute and Purdue University are pleased to be able to create an opportunity for military children to come together on campus to have fun in an environment that is supportive and encourages them to share experiences with each other," institute director Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth said.

"Operation Purple is a great opportunity for military kids to learn skills and strategies to manage their feelings and thoughts about military deployments."

Campers will participate in common summer camp activities including arts and crafts, a ropes course, swimming, fishing and canoeing.

There also will be daily, small group sessions that focus on stress management and interpersonal communication activities to encourage campers to build trust and friendships among their peers.

Mary Scott, chairman of the board of the National Military Family Association, said Purdue offers a location that makes attendance possible for military children from around Indiana and several surrounding states to attend.

"The goal of Operation Purple summer camps is to let these young heroes know that kids serve, too," Scott said. "Military children who attend 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. The National Military Family Association is excited to work with Purdue on this very worthwhile program."

Operation Purple Camp at Purdue is open to children ages 10-15. Each camp is 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.

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.

Camps are free to all participants through a partnership with the Sierra Club Foundation.

To learn more about Operation Purple, including information about camp events and activities, deadlines, and registration details, go to https://www.cfs.purdue.edu/mfri/op

Writer: Greg McClure, 765-496-2296, gmcclure@purdue.edu

Contact: Samantha L. Lucy, director of communications for Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University, 765-496-6027, slucy@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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