Summer camp helps kids cope with having a mom in prison
TAYCHEEDAH, Wis. (WBAY) - There are hugs. There are kisses. There are tears. After spending years apart, a group of Wisconsin kids reunited with their mothers behind bars and shared a special experience with other children who have incarcerated parents.
The moms are at Taycheedah Correctional Institution. There are emotions and nerves upon the reunion of mother and child.
"Our bellies have butterflies. This is something that isn't usual, so I'm very thankful," says Ali, a mom and inmate.
This is all made possible by Camp Reunite. It's a nearly week-long summer camp that helps kids cope with having a mom living in prison.
The children, ages 8-12, take part in the typical summer camp events like painting, archery and swimming.
The camp is 22 miles away from Taycheedah Correctional Institution. The children travel to the prison two times during the summer camp and visit their moms.
For some of these kids, it's the first time seeing mom in years.
The Wisconsin Department of Corrections asked we use only first names for the inmates.
"I'M SO HAPPY"
"I've seen them about five times in three years, so this is... To get more than two hours and two visits in a week, I'm extremely happy and out of breath because I'm so happy," Ali says.
Ali has been an inmate at the maximum security prison for two years. She has two more years to serve.
"This is my all star and this is my princess," Ali says about her daughters.
Ali's daughters are two of the 38 Wisconsin children at the camp. They share that common bond of having a mom in prison at Taycheedah Correctional.
"We were really close when I was like 8 or 9," says Azara, daughter of inmate Adriana.
Adriana tells Action 2 News, "And then when I've been incarcerated. That put a strain on it, so just to see her was a blessing."
Adri has two years left on her sentence. She realizes her daughters--like many others here--have a hard time coping with having a mom behind bars.
"One of the greatest things that I can say about this is that they can say, me too," Adriana says.
Ali asks her daughter, Hazelynn, and important question: "She's dealt with kids bullying because I'm here, so sometimes, do you not like to tell people I'm here sometimes?"
Daughter Hazelynn replies, "I don't like telling people you're here."
Ali says of Camp Reunite, "But now, it's nice she can be in a place where everybody is in the same situation."
A LIBERATING EXPERIENCE
"At last they're free to talk about it and that can be extremely liberating for any child to finally be able to say the words: me too," says Neil Willenson, co-founder of Camp Reunite.
Neil Willenson came up with the idea of Camp Reunite after taking a foster child to visit his mother in a federal prison.
Watching that boy and other kids go through grief, anger, shame, joy and sadness that day inspired him to help kids know they're not alone.
Camp Reunite estimates five million children nationwide have a parent in prison.
"At the end of the day, you either shrug your shoulders and say, 'Oh, it's just so sad' and turn the channel of the TV. Or you say, 'let's do something about it,'" Willenson says.
Camp Hometown Heroes for kids of fallen soldiers decided to expand its trauma-informed care to kids with moms at Taycheedah.
"It becomes a safe environment," says Jim Kacmarcik, co-founder of Camp Hometown Heroes. "Something they feel comfortable in and can begin to express themselves in a different way."
Warden Sarah Cooper says the program gives inmates hope and goals for re-entry into society. It also answers questions from kids at a very influential age.
"It's going to answer a lot of questions they may have about their mom," Cooper says. "If they don't get to see her that often and that will be very reassuring for them."
Cooper continues, "I think is so important for them to bond and be able to have that time and I think it's going to make memories for those kids that will last forever."
The inmates are thankful for the experience.
"It's nothing I would have imagined.. Anything.. I'm so grateful," Adriana tells us while shedding tears.
Ali: "We want to tell Camp Reunite ..."
Hazelynn: "Thank you."
Ali: "And everybody involved, the counselors, thank you for this opportunity. It's amazing and we are very thankful."