A peaceful summer

Capuchin’s Summer Peace Camp fosters peacemaking, fun, field trips

Detroit — Besides the fun activities and field trips, the Capuchin Soup Kitchen’s Summer Peace Camp also gives Detroit kids experience in conflict resolution skills and promoting peace in a too often violent community.

“They practice new ways of relating to each other. Rather than fighting violence with violence, they learn more practical ways of handling issues such as bullying,” said Adrian Dominican Sr. Nancyann Turner, director of the CSK’s Rosa Parks Children’s Program.

“Our children are the future of Detroit. They are facing challenges now, but that doesn’t mean they need to repeat the cycle of poverty. The concept of the Summer Peace Camp is to show them an alternative to known-behavior patterns. It’s just a real blessing to be having a good effect on the future of these children,” she said.

Campers learn how to forgive; alternative ways to handle anger; develop skills such as meditation and deep breathing when angry; learn new ways of communicating angry and hurt feelings; and develop listening skills.

Older children learn more advanced ways of understanding forgiveness and the negative effects of holding grudges. Children also have the opportunity to work with counselors.

Prayer and storytelling are on the schedule, too.

More than 50 children aged 5 to 15 participated in this year’s 11th annual Summer Peace Camp, which ran from June 28 through today, July 16.

“I learned about peacemaking, and to not be mean,” said Ashanti Norwood, 7, in addition to learning “how to do flips in dancing class and different kinds of songs.”

Devaire Smith, 9, said, “I learned how do a lot of great stuff, without hollering or being loud or doing bad stuff.”

David Davis, 9, said it was fun learning how to break-dance, but also talking about how they had learned how to solve problems using “I Care” language.

“That’s when you speak to someone really nicely, and don’t hurt their feelings,” he explained.

Learning break-dancing was also a highlight for Nicole Vance, 8, along with “learning how to do and make stuff.”

Asked what she likes about the Summer Peace Camp, 7-year-old Kameryn Butler replied, “Everything — it’s fun.”

Held at the CSK’s main facility on Conner Avenue on Detroit’s lower east side, camp activities also include gardening and art classes. The kids also help out some at the soup kitchen, and get a hot lunch.

“This is a very safe space for the kids,” said Simon Raffel, an assistant director of the Summer Peace Camp. “It gives kids the chance to express themselves and be creative in a lot of different ways.”

That idea was echoed by dance instructor Mary Mar, who said the goal “is to teach dance as a form of expression and an outlet for their energy.”

Parent involvement is mandatory for the Summer Peace Camp program. Over the years, the staff has learned that the camp experience falls short for kids without the “buy-in” of the parents.

“We’re very direct with the parents,” Raffel explained. “They commit to this. They know that they need to get their child here every day for three weeks and that they are expected to attend one class each of the three weeks.”

“We partner with the parent,” Sr. Turner added. “Nothing can be effective without partnering with the parent.”

Regina Cargill is one of those appreciative parents, with one daughter, two granddaughters and two grandsons among this year’s campers.

“I love the program. It’s a great help with the kids. And it’s great that they get to go on field trips to places such as the Museum of African-American History, Greenfield Village and the Detroit Zoo,” she said.

Cargill said she values the fact that the camp staffers “come from all walks of life,” serving to further expand the children’s horizons.

And she gives high praise to Sr. Turner.

“To me, she’s a jewel,” Cargill said. “She finds out the children’s likes and dislikes, and when she finds out their abilities, she tries to enhance them.”

Founded in 1929, the Capuchin Soup Kitchen serves Metro Detroit by providing food, clothing, and counsel to those in need. Frequently preparing and serving 2,000 meals a day, the Capuchin Soup Kitchen also distributes household items and operates a shower program, food pantry, and children’s tutoring and art therapy program. Its Earthworks Urban Farm produces vegetables for Detroit’s hungry, and educates the community in regards to sustainable relationships between human beings and the earth. The soup kitchen’s ROPE (Reaching Our Potential Everyday) ministry is designed to assist individuals “re-entering” society after bouts of incarceration or substance abuse. ROPE’s first social enterprise is the “On the Rise Bakery.”