Soldiers and Families Given Respite
April 20 2009, Hamilton ON—
All over the world, the Canadian Military establish a “Camp Maple Leaf” in the areas where they are on active duty. The camp is built when the Military is first deployed to the area, and is left behind as a new centre for the community to use. During their time on tour, Camp Maple Leaf is a place of safety for the Military to be able to rest, relax, and recoup.
In 1955, a Camp Maple Leaf was established by the Canadian Council of War Veterans on an island near Peterborough. The camp was established to offer a summer experience to underprivileged children and provide them with a safe place to rest, relax and recoup from their lives in urban centres. Over the years, the number of veterans available to run the camp declined, and they transferred ownership and rights to Banyan Community Services in 1995.
Respite and support are important ideas that Camp Maple Leaf strives to carry on. There are plans for a family camp to be established which will allow an opportunity for military families to re-acquaint themselves with one another following a tour of duty. There are also plans to educate the campers on the role and benefits of the Canadian Military throughout history. On the 104 acre island, a trail plans to be established with stations providing the campers with information on the Canadian Military’s role in previous wars, peacekeeping missions, and their current positioning in the world.
Having a parent completing a tour of duty is a stressful time for children, as well as for the parents. Camp Maple Leaf has been opened to Military children to create a lifetime of memories for them during an uneasy period in their lives. Attending camp, many for the first time, campers are given the opportunity to challenge themselves and take a break from the realities of life with a parent in a warzone. Camp Maple Leaf becomes a refuge for the children as it is for the parent overseas.
