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Camp Yellow Ribbon in Oconomowoc
Camp Yellow Ribbon in Oconomowoc
OCONOMOWOC -- Camp Yellow Ribbon provides a week of fun and relaxation for a group of kids who are forced to deal with some adult issues. Each one of the children at camp share a common bond, as at least one of their parents is serving in the military.
"I know I can actually talk to them and they know how to tell me that it's going to be okay and they know what I'm going through and we can really help each other out," camper Allison Perales said.
Camp Yellow Ribbon began three years ago to provide emotional support to help children cope with the impact of their parent leaving for deployment or their transition back into civilian life.
"It wrenches at your heart to see how fast some of these kids have to grow up," Lindsey Kirschbaum with Camp Yellow Ribbon said.
Eight-year-old Isaiah Trrell vividly remembers when his dad left for a one year deployment to Iraq.
"I missed him. I hoped he came back alive and that he would not get hurt," Trrell said.
According to a new study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, children with one or more parents on a long-term deployment have a higher chance of mental health problems.
Because of this concern, Camp Yellow Ribbon began including activities that teach the kids how to share their feelings in a healthy way.
"We hid cards, feeling cards, and someone had to find them. They told us why we were hiding them because sometimes we hide negative feelings and don't express them," camper William Hemminger said.
As the kids are able to understand and relate to one another, they develop a sense of comradery.
"This camp is a bright spot for them to come and actually talk and get their emotions out," Kirschbaum said.
As the week comes to an end, many of the children already begin looking forward to Camp Yellow Ribbon next summer. The camp is held at the Indian Mound Scout Reservation in Oconomowoc.
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