Minooka man brings joy of summer camp to foster kids

MINOOKA – When Keenan Kuzma, 16, lived in Minooka, his guardian Jane Kuzma sent him to Royal Family Kids Camp – less for the summertime activities and more for the eternal benefits this camp offers foster children.

“It gave the kids a week being surrounded by pure love, without worries,” said Jane Kuzma, who has sent her other foster children to the same camp. “They really do treat them like kings and queens. The staff really do care for them.”

Although the family now lives in Missouri, Keenan returned to Joliet this year as a volunteer, a way of saying “thank you” for great childhood memories, he said. His sister, Reanna Kuzma, 15, will do likewise next year, she said.

“I grew in leadership because so many people encouraged me,” Reanna said, adding that she takes an active role in her church because of those camp experiences.

Why would children in foster care need a special camp?

Because many of these campers have experienced unbelievable abuse and neglect, said Mark T. Fleming of Minooka, father of three children ages 9, 6 and 5 months. He is a former foster parent, current assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction at Will County School District 92 in Lockport, and director for Royal Family Kids Camp 188.

“When you sit down with them, hear their stories ... you know there is evil in the world,” Fleming said.

This year – Fleming’s eighth camp – the Royal Family Kids Camp 188 had 55 kids ages 7 to 11. Because these children are in foster care, their names, as well as the actual camp site, is private, Fleming said.

But the Royal Family Kids Camp is more than another Christian camp with the usual camp activities, although camp activities are an important part of the experience.

“We might have an 11-year-old camper that has taken care of three little siblings,” Fleming said, adding that many of these kids are the parent figures to younger brothers and sisters. “At camp, they can just be kids and have fun.”

Royal Family Kids Camp also attempts to fill deep holes for belonging and acceptance that many of these children never have experienced, Fleming said. For a week, they are treated like kings and queens, he added.

Part of that treatment is a birthday celebration for all the campers, which Fleming calls the “birthday of a lifetime.” The kids have camp grandmas and grandpas, and aunts and uncles. These “relatives” give them gifts. They have their pictures taken with them, as well as during their favorite activities, Fleming said.

“On Friday, they go home with a memory book. For some kids, it’s their only childhood photograph album,” Fleming said. “It’s part of changing the cycle of abuse and making a difference in their lives.”

One teen volunteer was Nick Puracchio, 16, of Channahon. Nick already had assisted at Minooka Bible Church’s Vacation Bible School; so when his mother, Nicole Puracchio, suggested helping out at Royal Family Kids Camp, he wanted to do that, too.

Although Nick enjoyed the camp activities – such as laser tag and basketball – he said he really felt God’s presence during club time, which is when the kids presented Bible-themed skits and songs.

“They were totally into it and, I thought, ‘This is awesome. I don’t want it to stop,’ ” Nick said.

Nick believes he especially affected three of the kids he worked with. He liked the comfortable way they’d greet him with a, “Hey, what’s up, man?”

“They became like the friends I have in normal, everyday life,” Nick said.

Laura Oresky of Mokena said two of her foster children have attended camp – a 10-year old and her current foster son, now 12. This was the 12-year-old’s fourth time at camp, Oresky said. He enjoys the other kids’ enjoyment as much as his own, she added.

“He is a very caring kid,” Oresky said.

Fleming said he heard about Royal Family Kids Camp through a presentation at his church, Southwest Community Church in Minooka. In 2006, Fleming attended training in California through Royal Family Kids Camp; in 2007, he held his first camp.

Only about five campers belong to Fleming’s church, Fleming said. Royal Family Kids Camp works with a variety of foster care agencies – including the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services – to find kids who could benefit from this camp, he added.

Fundraising is necessary throughout the year to pay for each camper's fees, which are $650, Fleming said. Campers come from Will, Grundy and Kendall counties, according to www.joliet.royalfamilykids.org.

For the past five years during the Christmas holidays, Fleming has hosted a whole-family party to reunite campers. New this fall to the Joliet-based organization is a Royal Family Kids mentoring program. Foster kids will be paired with the counselors, who provide four hours of time each month, Fleming said. One Saturday a month is devoted to group activities, he added.

KNOW MORE
• Royal Family Kids is the nation's leading network of camps and mentor clubs for children of abuse, abandonment and neglect.
• Annually, 3.6 million cases of child abuse, neglect or abandonment are reported in America.
• A victim dies every six hours due to that abuse.
• In 2008, the organization expanded to include a school year club and mentoring program and changed its name to Royal Family Kids.
• In 2012, Royal Family Kids served more than 6,000 children in 160 camps in 35 states and 11 international countries.
• 80,000 children have been enrolled in the camps since 1985.
• Founders Wayne and Diane Tesch have co-authored three related books, as well as a 20th anniversary special edition book consisting of testimonials from 20 former campers who have all returned to serve at the camps.

Source: www.joliet.royalfamilykids.org