Operation Purple Family Retreat Program | FREE MINI VACATIONS!!

The National Military Family Association is sponsoring free, four day family retreats created to help families reconnect after deployment. Operation Purple® Family Retreats are designed to bring families together for four days in a national park setting. With an emphasis on environmental education, military families will participate in fun, family-focused activities that will allow them to strengthen and renew relationships while exploring their natural surroundings.

Operation Purple Family Retreat participants will be paired with highly specialized field science educators who will guide families through various activities such as nature hikes, canoeing, campfires, beach exploration, arts and crafts, and challenge activities. Families will have opportunities to communicate, work as a team, and to reconnect while exploring and learning about the environment.

In addition, FOCUS (Families OverComing Under Stress), a resiliency-building program designed for military families and children facing the challenges of multiple deployments by a team from UCLA and Harvard Medical School, has designed activities which highlight areas of strength and resilience in the family and promote family growth. Families will work together to strengthen their relationship through a variety of activities designed to compliment the retreat environment and experience.

Dates and Location:

Outer Edge Performance, Larkspur, CO: April 30 – May 3, 2010
Nestled among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, with breathtaking views of Pikes Peak, this camp is set on 650 acres of natural beauty. Families will have the opportunity to explore the natural setting, challenge themselves on the ropes course, and learn about the environment. The service member must have returned from deployment between January 2009 and January 2010.
www.outeredgeperformance.com

Olympic Park Institute, Port Angeles, WA: May 7 – 10, 2010
This weekend features a variety of activities for the entire family, including canoeing on beautiful Lake Crescent, hiking to Marymere Falls, studying nature with an experienced guide, and enjoying songs and stories around the campfire. The service member must have returned from deployment between February 2009 and February 2010.
www.naturebridge.org

YMCA of the Adirondacks, Silver Bay, NY: May 21 – 24, 2010
Silver Bay YMCA of the Adirondacks is a 100-year old family retreat and conference center set on the shores of Lake George. Families will enjoy the beauty of the Adirondacks as they relax on the sandy beach, canoe or kayak on the lake, and hike the mountain trails. Leisure time is built into the schedule so that families can relax and enjoy each other’s company. The service member must have returned from deployment between February 2009 and February 2010.
www.silverbay.org


The Teton Science School, Jackson, Wyoming: July 2 – 6, 2010
Teton Science School has been teaching about the natural world and the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem since 1967. Families will enjoy exploring the camp’s 900 acres of woodland, guided by experienced outdoor educators. They can challenge themselves on the camp’s ropes course and enjoy quality time relaxing together as a family. The service member must have returned from deployment between April 2009 and April 2010.
www.tetonscience.org


These retreats are open to service members and their families who have experienced deployment within the last 15 months. To be eligible for consideration to attend these retreats, service members must have returned from deployment no less than 3 months or no more than 15 months prior to the start date of each retreat. The retreats are free thanks to support from the Sierra Club and the Sierra Club Foundation. Travel costs are not included. However, families who attend will receive a $200 stipend per family at the retreat site to help offset the cost of travel.

Applications are currently being accepted for all of the retreats listed above. Additional retreats are scheduled throughout the year. Interested families should visit www.militaryfamily.org/our-programs/operation-purple/family-retreats/ for further information or to apply.