Kanuga chosen to host National Military Family Association’s popular Operation Purple summer camps for third year

Kanuga chosen to host National Military Family Association’s popular Operation Purple summer camps for third year

Camp for military children expands, adds teen leadership option

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. — The National Military Family Association announced that Camp Bob at Kanuga has been chosen to host two expanded sessions of the Association’s popular Operation Purple® Summer Camp and that Camp Kanuga’s Trailblazer Adventures has been chosen to host the only North Carolina session of the Operation Purple Leadership Experience.

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.

“Our 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 the stress of a deployment and make friends with other kids who are also missing their mom or dad,” said Mary Scott, the Association’s Chairman of the Board. “The National Military Family Association is excited to work with Kanuga on this very worthwhile program.”

Camp Bob and Camp Kanuga’s Trailblazer Adventures are programs of Kanuga Conferences, an Episcopal camp and conference center in Hendersonville, N.C.

Operation Purple sessions at Camp Bob will be held June 27-July 2 and Aug. 1-6. Each session can accommodate 100 campers ages 8-15, up from 75 campers per session in 2009. Campers will enjoy traditional camp activities including hiking, swimming, rock climbing, canoeing, archery and arts and crafts, with plenty of time to just be children.

Camp Kanuga’s Trailblazer Adventures will host its first Operation Purple Leadership Experience July 20-28. The session, open to 20 campers ages 15-17, will focus on building leadership skills through activities such as backpacking in Pisgah National Forest, whitewater rafting on the Nolichucky River, high ropes courses and a service project.

Registration for Operation Purple camp began March 15, 2010. Applications will only be accepted online. Sign up at www.operationpurple.org to receive email notices and camp updates. Each camp is “purple” and 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.

Camps are free to all eligible children thanks to support from the Sierra Club and The Sierra Club Foundation.

About Camp Bob

Camp Bob is located at Kanuga Conferences, a 1,400-acre camp and conference center affiliated with the Episcopal Church and open to all. In addition to cabins and a dining hall, Camp Bob has a lake for swimming, fishing and boating, a climbing tower, hiking trails and many other recreation areas. The program employs extensively screened and rigorously trained counselors chosen for their ability to serve as caring role models and to impart an appreciation for the outdoors. For more information, visit www.kanuga.org.

About Kanuga’s Trailblazer Adventures

Camp Kanuga’s Trailblazer Adventures program strives to develop leadership skills in teenagers through backpacking, camping and canoeing expeditions. Participants build confidence and self-esteem, learn the value of teamwork and successfully meet personal challenges through life on the trail. Trailblazers also learn minimal impact camping, map and compass skills, campsite cooking and environmental awareness. Each Trailblazer Adventures group gives back to the community through a camp service project.

About the National Military Family Association
Military families serve our country with pride, honor and quiet dedication. The National Military Family Association is the leading nonprofit organization committed to strengthening and protecting the families of the men and women currently serving, retired, wounded or fallen. The Association provides families of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard and Commissioned Corps of the USPHS and NOAA with information, works to get them the benefits they deserve and offers programs that improve their lives. The Association’s 40 years of service and accomplishments have made them a trusted resource for military families and the nation’s leaders. To learn more, visit www.MilitaryFamily.org.