Youngsters interact while learning positive principles at summer campGroups of young children scamper to and fro in the grass as they play games, their squeals of happiness audible from afar. Other children inside workrooms meticulously put together bead bracelets and other crafts while some file down blocks of wood to make their own version of a pinewood race car for a derby later that night.

And in the background … is that the sound of crickets? No, it’s the crackling thunder of automatic rife fire.

It’s summer at Rilea Armed Forces Training Center.

But this isn’t some paramilitary training camp, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many “at-risk,” mostly inner-city children to have a true summer camping experience for free. The military backdrop is just the bonus of the camp being held at Camp Rilea, which this summer is busy as National Guardsmen train for an overseas deployment.

Held each summer for more than 30 years, Camp Rosenbaum is possible through a joint project of corporate donors, the Oregon National Guard, the Portland Police Bureau, other public safety agencies and the Housing Authority of Portland plus other cities in Oregon and southwest Washington.

LORI ASSA – The Daily Astorian

Shamiqua Hinton, an 11-year-old camper from Portland, works on a craft keychain last Thursday.All come together to provide about 160 children the chance to swim, play sports, camp out in tents and ride horses. Intermingled with those activities are sessions to teach the children who are all nine to 11, to avoid the dangers of drugs and gangs.

“We spoon-feed them the message, and sugar-coat it,” says Maj. Donna Prigmore, a public affairs officer for the Oregon Air National Guard.

Wake-up callThis year’s camp was held from July 26 to Aug. 1. Each morning all the campers received reveille from counselor and deejay “Boogieman” – also known as Greg Mathews a Gresham firefighter.

Despite the early hour, with popular dance music blasting from his sound system set atop a flatbed truck, Boogieman gets the campers “hooting and hollering.”

“He’s extremely good at it,” Prigmore said of the firefighter/deejay. “You can tell it’s his forte.”

After their morning wake-up call, Prigmore says the campers get together in the main hall for a rally before dividing up into groups for activities. Being at Camp Rilea means campers enjoy an occasional perk in addition to the regular fare of a summer camp.

Last Wednesday they were treated to a visit from Gov. Ted Kulongoski, as well as former governors Victor Atiyeh and Barbara Roberts. And also on Wednesday a pair of F-15 jet fighters from the 142nd Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard performed three fly-overs. Campers also get to hop on Army Humvees for rides around the sprawling military base.

Thursday, campers were taking a ride on a gas-powered go cart with the body of a F-4 Phantom that was a little bit more their size and speed. Later that day they were scheduled for a field trip to Fort Clatsop National Memorial to learn a little of the local history, and campers were also taking rides on horses.

Much to learnJasmyn Grimm a 10-year-old camper from Portland, said the camp was fun because of “the really nice places for field trips.”

She and her friend Evelin Ibarra, 10, of Salem said they liked going to the rallies with the entire camp because they said they were able to dance and watch movies such as “Shrek.” And Ibarra said she enjoys the music stylings of Boogieman – even though “he makes us wake up really early in the morning.”

Grimm said she enjoyed riding the horses. “They’re my favorite animals and they’re nice,” she said.

It costs about $225 for each camper to attend, but none of the families of any camper who was there this summer had to pay a cent. Prigmore said all the costs of running the camp are covered by the sponsors and by private donations. She said Nike Corp. donates shoes and athletic clothing for each of the campers and about a dozen computers for campers to learn skills and play video games. Counselors are all either volunteers or paid by the agencies that employ them. Most are firefighters, police officers or work for the Housing Authority.

The idea for the camp was proposed by Brig. Gen. Fred Rosenbaum, who visited Camp Rilea and thought it would be an excellent location. Being a former commissioner of the housing authority, he also thought it would be a wonderful opportunity for less privileged children.

After several years of successful camps – following a humble start with a budget of only $750 for about 75 campers – Atiyeh proclaimed the camp to be named after its founder in 1985 and it’s grown since then.

WorthwhileBruce W. Punk is the camp’s leader. While wearing a camouflage uniform he’s a colonel in the Air National Guard, but when in a police uniform he’s the commander of the Northeast Precinct for the Portland Police Bureau.

More Info. For more information about Camp Rosenbaum or to make a donation to the program, contact the Camp Rosenbaum Fund, Housing Authority of Portland, 8910 N. Woolsey, Portland, OR 97203.

At the camp Thursday, he said this had been one of its best years. He said the children had been enthusiastic and the weather great. He said a few of the officers who he works with, and had been counselors at the camp, have stayed in touch with some of the children who spent a week at Camp Rilea. They feel they’ve made a difference.

“I think we connect with the kids here,” he said.

And if only some of the 160 children steer clear of drugs or gang activity as they grow up, Punk said that makes it worth it for him.