Camp Aims to Calm Children's Lingering Flood Fears

By: Claire Kellett, Anchor/Reporter

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By Claire Kellett

Story Created: Jun 3, 2009 at 8:21 PM CST

Story Updated: Jun 3, 2009 at 10:17 PM CST

CEDAR RAPIDS - With the first anniversary of the flood right around the corner, a camp that's new to the area is reaching out to children still dealing with the disaster. Counselors from a Minnesota-based camp are traveling to Iowa this summer to help children still reeling from the flood. Local church leaders and Project Recovery Iowa are helping coordinate the week-long camps.

Camp organizers say many people would likely be surprised how much the flood is still affecting local children. One family from Palo says the natural disaster is still a traumatic topic to talk about.

7-year-old Sydney Sanders is anything but shy. She doesn't hesitate to share stories about how last year's flood destroyed practically everything inside her family's home in Palo.

"I lost most of my toys and my favorite rocking chair," says Sydney.

What Sydney's storytelling doesn't include is how traumatic a natural disaster can be on someone her age.

"Sydney had a hard time at the beginning, nightmares, things like that," says Lisa Sanders, Sydney's mother.

Sydney's mom Lisa says things have gotten better, but the flood still weighs on their family - even one year later.

"We're just kind of surrounded by it every day," says Lisa.

Lisa hopes surrounding her two children with other kids affected by the flood will help. In a few weeks, Sydney and her older brother Ben are going to Camp Noah at a Cedar Rapids church. Counselors from Minnesota are teaming up with Linn County counselors to help these kids heal..

"There are things we might not think about affecting them. This camp will give them a chance to talk about it with people who have dealt with it," says Barb Hanson of First Lutheran Church of Cedar Rapids.

Lutheran Social Services out of Minnesota travels to areas dealing with natural disasters and targets elementary-aged students.

"They have written curriculum they developed after dealing with people after Katrina," says Hanson.

Simple things, like small group discussions, can make a big difference.

"Especially for my son, I hope it helps him get out of his shell. Maybe talk about it and what's bothering him," says Lisa.

That's the camp's goal, to calm kids lingering fears of the flood.

There are four week-long camps scheduled for the Cedar Rapids area. The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation funds the program, so the camp costs just ten dollars a family.

Camp Noah is also having camps in Iowa City, Waterloo, and Parkersburg.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
First Lutheran Church of Cedar Rapids
(319) 365-1494

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