GPIA utilizes Camp Noah to educate island youngsters during Spring Break
Camp Noah was offered to Pine Island youngsters during Spring Break by the Greater Pine Island Alliance when GPIA Founder Aaron Barreda and Executive Director Erin Lollar Lambert were asked to speak on long-term recovery at a conference hosted by the American Red Cross.
According to GPIA Executive Administrator Janine Harbinsky, who directed the project, which spanned Monday, March 18, until Friday, March 22. Much of the camp was focused on resilience in the wake of a disaster, such as Hurricane Ian, and preparedness in going forward.
“They’ve been meeting in small groups and telling us their stories each day. They have a mental health coordinator on site as well. For the younger children, a lot of it is drawing pictures and telling us what happened during the disaster,” Harbinsky said.
The children were given backpacks called “Preparedness Packs” complete with supplies, such as a first aid kit, hand sanitizer, water bottle, toothbrush, toothpaste, flashlight, whistle and games, in an effort to teach them to feel more confident and comfortable to handle a possible storm in the future, she said.
Lollar-Lambert emphasized the importance of having the camp running parallel with Lee County School District’s Spring Break vacation, in an effort to provide child-care for parents who are financially unable to take vacation or time off while their kids are on break.
“GPIA is doing this in collaboration with the American Red Cross. We have about 20 volunteers from the community, which is outstanding. The St. James City Civic donated the location to us — the Civic Center is not charging GPIA to use the facility for the week. That’s helpful because we do breakfast, lunch and two snacks a day,” Lambert said.
With money donated by Honc Industries to cover food costs, the GPIA is able to make use of the full kitchen at the St. James City Civic Center to make warm breakfasts for the campers each day, Lambert said, combined with lunches provided by some local business owners, such as Horse Eyed Jake’s, Salty Girls Island Café, Street Eatz & Ale, Publix and the Eagle’s Nest.
“Tonya Player, Eric Whiteman and Greg Brown have been coming in every morning at 7 a.m. to help Aaron (Barreda) and I cook breakfast. I think one of the most impactful things to me has been that all the children’s parents have been telling us every morning how meaningful this has been and every day when they go home they’re telling their parents what they’ve learned. So from the standpoint of GPIA, as we’re trying to rebuild resiliency in our community, watching it have a substantial impact on the youth of Pine Island shows how this community always comes together to help those in need,” Lambert said.
Barreda spoke on the unique aspects of having Camp Noah on Pine Island a year and a half after Hurricane Ian.
“We know that we have families and some of our children are still living in trailers and are still displaced from their primary residences. The age-group in elementary school being 5 years old to about 11 — for kids who are 5 and 6, it’s been about a year and a half so they were 3 or 4 and so at that age, they were completely affected by the storm and being displaced as this is a very formative time. A program like this in conjunction with the American Red Cross, building resiliency, can really help shape and make a difference in kids lives. When they come in and they’re excited to show up, that really makes all the difference. I think about all the adults and volunteers — it’s just amazing to watch and see their excitement,” Barreda said.
“Disaster affects everyone differently, and nowhere is this more apparent than with children. To support the continued recovery of children on Greater Pine Island affected by Hurricane Ian, we’re proud to connect the Greater Pine Island Alliance with Camp Noah, a summer camp for children affected by disaster. A grant provided by the American Red Cross enabled dozens of Greater Pine Island children to attend Camp Noah and receive its programs and services for free,” said Robbie Sofaly, MSW, FPEM Director, Hurricane Ian Long-Term Recovery for the American Red Cross.