The camps provide unique experiences
to more than 2,000 children whose parents are deployed in the U. However,
unlike fads, which come and go, traditional summer camp is still, by far, the
most popular type of camp."
As the nation's oldest and largest community-based organization and among
the country's most trusted providers of camping programs, YMCAs offer the
following helpful tips to help parents choose the best camping experience for
their child:

* A good place to start when looking for a camp is with the American Camp
Association (ACA) or with your local YMCA.

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Operation Purple Camp Details
The camps, which last from five to seven days, give kids ages eight to
18 an exciting and memorable camp experience, providing tools to help them
deal with the stress resulting from a parent's deployment. More than 30 weeks of Operation Purple camps
are offered in 18 states (Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii,
Idaho, Illinois , Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North
Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania , Texas and Utah), three international
locations (Germany, Italy and Japan) and one unincorporated U.searsholdings.
From basketball and horseback riding to the performing arts and
cheerleading , there are many different types of camp to choose from. Some camps even
offer family weekends where your whole family can sleep in a cabin or
tent and experience camp together. YMCAs
also employ nearly 12,000 teenagers each summer as lifeguards and camp
counselors.7 million children ,
through a broad range of programs.

sunny counselors

, The National Military Family
Association (NMFA) and Sears , Roebuck and Co. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of
home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more
than 2,400 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the United States and
Canada, which includes approximately 870 full-line and 1,100 specialty stores
in the U.
According to the American Camp Association, more than 11 million children and
adults attend camp each year .1 million people, including 9.

fragile receive

The 22 Operation Purple Camps provide children from U.com, and specialty catalogs. But remember, each child is ready to leave the nest at his
or her own pace.

~~~
YMCAs today are collectively one of the nation's largest providers of
camping programs with 265 resident camps and nearly 2,000 day camps across the
country including 120 specialty camps for kids with disabilities.

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* Ideally, sleep-away -camp should not be a child's first night away from
home.

* Once you have narrowed your decision, get some references from other
families whose children have attended the camps you are considering.

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S. The ACA accredits camps
across the country to ensure they meet the highest standards. Visit
http://www.ymca.

medically counselors

nmfa. For more than 35 years its staff and volunteers ,
comprised mostly of military family members, have built a reputation for being
the leading experts on military family issues. YMCAs believe that a successful
summer camp experience begins with three critical components: a beautiful
outdoor setting in which to share new experiences, membership in a club and a
partnership between parents. YMCA camps even offer scholarship
assistance .

medically counselors

S.
Sears, Roebuck and Co.com .

* On average, many eight-year olds are ready for resident or "sleepover"
camp, and age-appropriate day camps are available for preschool aged
children.

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National Military Family Association and Sears Expand Free Camp Program for Children of Deployed Servicemembers

S. This statistic does not include children who have parents
deployed elsewhere around the world., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings
Corporation (Nasdaq: SHLD ), is a leading broadline retailer providing
merchandise and related services.

medicines counselors

military
families with fun and memorable opportunities to learn new skills for coping
with deployment-related stress . In fact, the latest wave in camping is defined not
by the type of camp, but by the type of camper . And in involving these older children, many Ys are
expanding their Counselor-In-Training and Leader -In-Training programs to
incorporate activities such as volunteer work to correspond with high school
graduation requirements. A sleepover at a friend or relative's house for a single night
is an important first step to a longer stay away at camp.

medicines cpt

Sears, Roebuck has a long tradition of support for the men and women of
the armed forces and their families dating back to 1916. Today , for qualified
Sears, Roebuck employees activated for duty through the National Guard or
Reserves , the company pays the difference between the soldiers' Sears, Roebuck
salary and military pay and offers extended employment benefits for up to
60 months.
"Many attribute this trend to parents ' growing concern for the safety of their
young adults and an increased desire to enroll adolescents in structured,
supervised activities. "Good camps also provide a
positive and inclusive atmosphere in which to grow that satisfies a child's
need to belong through secret handshakes, cheers, rituals or competition. YMCA
camps are accredited by the ACA.

* Remember, camp does not have to be expensive.

* After reviewing a camp's brochure or website, give the camp a call and
quiz its staff on the information and promises made in its materials. YMCAs serve 20 .

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"
"Sears prides itself on serving the needs of homes and families, and our
affiliation with the NMFA provides advocacy programs for the families of men
and women actively serving in our armed forces," said Alan J. For more information, visit the
Sears, Roebuck website at http://www.
"Good camps fulfill a parent's number one concern -- safety -- while
supplying experiences and lessons in character and friendship that parents
can't provide on their own," Forster said. There are camps
available in every price range.

bandera medicines

"
One in four American children will grow up to serve in the military or
marry a servicemember, according to the Defense Manpower Data Center , making
an investment in today's military kids important for positively affecting
tomorrow's military community."
Children are our greatest treasures and greatest responsibility. YMCAs are for people of all faiths, races,
ages, incomes and abilities.

breathing funshine

Nationwide Registration for Operation Purple Summer Camps Begins April 15

ALEXANDRIA, Va.S.
NMFA developed Operation Purple camps last year in response to the need
for increased support services benefiting children of men and women serving in
the Armed Forces, especially those whose parents are or will be deployed. YMCA of the USA Offers Helpful Tips as Summer Camp Registration Swings Into
Full Gear

CHICAGO, Spring is almost here and, believe it or
not, registration is already in full swing at summer camps across the country.
And today, camp is still one of the best proving grounds for kids, offering a
safe, fun environment in which to discover one's self, develop independence ,
build confidence, make new friends and create a lifetime of memories.net

counselors wak

NMFA estimates that more than 135,000 children are
experiencing the absence of a parent due to a deployment to Iraq or
Afghanistan. A list of camp dates, sites and other information is now available on
NMFA's web site.
Some camps are highly structured to accomplish a lot in a short amount
of time. Most camps are very willing to give tours of their
facilities and program not just in the springtime before camp starts,
but also during the summer when camp is in session.

hak donate

The camps are funded through the Sears
American Dream Campaign, a $100 million commitment to strengthen families,
homes and communities. Applications for the camps will be
available April 15 through May 15 on the NMFA web site at
http://www.
Interested children from military families are encouraged to apply for the
camp located nearest their home. territory
(Guam). Since 2003, Sears , Roebuck has provided NMFA with more than
$2 million to address the unique challenges faced by military families.

campers hak

Applications will be available on April 15.S.S.sears. As such,
determining when your child is ready to go to camp and finding the best match
can be a difficult decision for parents.

* Decide if you are looking to give your child a vacation from school or
if you hope for some real growth in character and self-confidence. Ask how the camp works with children
requiring special diets, medications or accommodations. Another 600,000 enroll in YMCA day camps annually.

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org .
With funding from Sears, Roebuck in 2004, NMFA conducted 12 camps reaching
nearly 1,000 young people.
"Operation Purple Summer Camps fulfill a critical need in the military
community ," says Candace Wheeler, Chief Executive Officer of NMFA. Each camp is joint
and "purple" -- encompassing all service branches, including the National
Guard and Reserve -- and offered free of charge to all participants.
Pioneered in America by the YMCAs nearly a century and a half ago, resident
camps trace their origin to a YMCA camp at Westport, NY, established in 1885.
"The fastest growing segment of camping programs today is day camp for
teens," said Gary Forster, YMCA of the USA specialty consultant for camping.

campers funshine

Armed Forces ("purple" is a military term
representing inclusion of all branches ). "Our support of the summer
camps enables a fabulous developmental experience for thousands of children
and enriches the lives of their families. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more
than 14 million service calls made annually.

YMCA Gets Parents Ready for Summer Camp

If possible, plan a visit with your child before making a final
decision. The YMCAs
serve nearly 400,000 youngsters and families each year through their resident
camping programs.

YMCA of the USA is national resource office for America's 2,594 YMCAs ,
collectively the nation's largest community service organization and charity
of choice. Financial assistance is available.

cpt campers

The association's mission is to
serve the families of the seven uniformed services through education,
information and advocacy. Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services
through sears.
Find out how the camp encourages positive behavior and teamwork and how
problem behavior is handled.

fibrosis campers

"We have
been overwhelmed by the messages of support and gratitude we've received from
children, parents, the Department of Defense, the National Guard Bureau and
Members of Congress.

dozens horseback

Armed
Forces. Sears, Roebuck's funding enables children to attend the
camps at no charge. This year, the program has expanded to host more
than 2,000 kids.com or the Sears Holdings
Corporation website at http://www.

horseback lasting

Operation Purple is the only summer camp program that focuses on helping
kids deal with deployment-related issues and is open to children of personnel
from all branches of the U. We are thrilled to be able to expand the program this
year .

About NMFA
The National Military Family Association, a nonprofit organization, is the
only national organization whose sole focus is the military family and whose
goal is to influence the development and implementation of policies that will
improve the lives of those family members .com, landsend.

* Most importantly, don't forget to include your child in the process.

Camps for people with Cystic Fibrosis.

campers sunny

today announced the sites for
the 2005 Operation Purple Summer Camps.

About Sears, Roebuck and Co.

overnight fibrosis

Lacy, vice
chairman and CEO of Sears Holdings Corporation. Sears, Roebuck
offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman ,
DieHard and Lands' End -- among the most trusted and preferred brands in the
U. Others offer more free time to allow kids to set their own
schedule.

rutledge cpt

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