Every summer kids escape their parents for a chance to make new friends through adventures at camp. Camp Corral is like any other summer camp except that all of the participants are children of wounded, disabled or fallen military service members.
Twenty-three camps across the nation host the free, week long camp each year. Mark Carroll directs Camp Corral at the Texas 4-H Center in Brownwood.
“We started registration back in January and the camp filled up within three days so there is a tremendous need for this type of camp for military kids,” Carroll said. “We have over 178,000 military kids in the state of Texas.”
Two hundred campers try out sport fishing, archery, games and bucket drums but they also spend a little time on military-focused projects.
On Wednesday Camp Counselor Shatara Robinson directed a large group of kids into their next activity.
“Group five at that table, group six this table please,” Robinson said as kids in bright orange Camp Corral t-shirts took their seats at long tables on a patio.
“We are here to do a service project to give back to the soldiers who have fought for us all over the world,” Robinson said.
She handed out construction paper and markers for kids to write letters to soldiers recovering at the wounded warriors rehabilitation facility at Fort Sam in San Antonio. Ten-year-old Hope Farmer finished one letter and started a second.
“I said you will fight for your life and I will pray for you, I hope you will see your family soon,” Hope read out loud from her letter.
Hope’s mother broke her back while serving in the Army. Her mother has recovered from her injuries but Camp Corral is a place for Hope to meet other kids with similar family situations.
Over at the next activity two teenage girls are locked arm in arm, whispering jokes and giggling.
“Well I like coming to camp because there are so many people who understand what I’ve been going through,” thirteen-year-old Madeline Waldroup said. “I guess it’s easier to be around them than people at school.”
“I feel you bro,” her friend, Kaitlyn Funkhouser agreed.
The two girls have been friends since they met at Camp Corral two summers ago. They stay in constant communication all year after the camp ends.
