Operation Purple challenge generates $15,500
Members and councils support our troops by sending their kids to summer camp
COLUMBUS, March 2011 - Members and councils across the U.S. stepped up to meet UCT's challenge to support the National Military Family Association's (NMFA) Operation Purple program through generous contributions totaling $15,500. This is more than triple the $5,000 amount originally anticipated and will cover the cost of sending 31 kids to summer camp!
Operation Purple is the NMFA's free summer camp program for young people with one or both parents actively deployed or in the reserves. Camps are open to military children of all ranks and services. The program helps military kids experience carefree fun while learning coping skills to deal with war-related stress - and it gives them a chance to build relationships with other kids in similar situations.
Mile High Council 15 in Denver, Colo., was the first council to respond to our challenge. Member Don Cooke said there was no hesitation about participating. "We're all about helping young people," he explained. "We've always been dedicated to supporting programs and activities for kids; it's very important to us. When the chance presented itself to help the children of our military troops, we knew we had to get involved."
The cost of sending one child to camp is $500, and the NMFA operates hundreds of camps serving thousands of military kids across the United States. Nearly 30,000 young people have been served by the program since its inception.
The challenge was initiated thanks to the American Fraternal Alliance's efforts to involve its member-societies in supporting Operation Purple.
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Heather Darling, Nicole Watson and Sonja Miller step up to help fill Faith Mission's truck at UCT's Keepin' the Faith event. The cold weather community service drive collected over 30 boxes of critically needed items and $1,075 for Faith Mission's homeless shelters.
