Archery, riflery, fly fishing, military and police demos, cabins, group meals. Camp POSTCARD, a 2007 and 2008 WYCF grantee, sounds like a regular outdoor kids’ camp, but it has an extraordinary purpose and mission.

“I consider Camp POSTCARD to be a premier leadership opportunity for kids. It’s an opportunity to provide a cutting-edge program for kids in Wyoming,” said Heath Steele.

Steele is the executive vice president of Volunteers of America-Montana and Wyoming, the organization that has facilitated the camp from its inception six summers ago. Camp POSTCARD - Peace Officers Striving To Create And Realize Dreams – aims to match children with law enforcement officers to develop long-term relationships for leadership, mentoring and team-building.

“I believe very firmly that with our partners, these kids are surrounded by some of the most positive mentors they will ever have the opportunity to be around at this age,” Steele said.

“And it’s not a one-week and you’re done – some of these relationships will last a lifetime.”

Forty-two police officers, varying in rank and experience on the job, come to POSTCARD ready to commit to a special role in kids’ lives. Most have participated since the camp’s first year.

“We ask the officers to follow up with these kids throughout the year,” Steele said.

Uinta County Range Deputy Spike Arnell embodies Steele’s words. He and the other officers don’t make promises they won’t keep, he said. If he tells a sixth grade boy at camp that he will come check on him at school, Arnell does it.

He is passionate about POSTCARD: “I’ve been in it from the get-go, and I’ll be in it until I retire. That’s how much I believe in the program.”

POSTCARD represents 14 counties of primarily fifth and sixth graders. Attendance sits at 123 campers in the week-long program at Casper Mountain, Steele said. POSTCARD offers a lot for kids to see and do, but structure underlies it all, with a twist.

“I’ve seen some kids that get up there and they don’t want to go home, because the camp is stable,” Arnell said.

The kids create the rules for the week. Schedules are followed. Meals are eaten family-style, with male and female leaders at each table.

Steele said that “there is a very strong focus on tobacco, drug and alcohol education. We keep the dialogue very open at camp. We want kids to be able to ask honest questions and get feedback from officers.”

Kids are selected by local law enforcement officers to attend camp for many reasons, he said. Some may be considered at-risk, and others have good school performance or need an opportunity to grow leadership skills.

Arnell described one fifth grade girl who had lost an arm. Getting over the wall in the obstacle course was a challenge for her, but she did it.

He said the positivity emphasizes two things. “It’s to show that we’re there to protect them, but we’re also there to help.”

Camp POSTCARD received grants in 2007 and 2008 from the S.K. Johnston Family Fund through the Wyoming Community Foundation. Steele and Arnell talked about how important it is for the camp to be founded on the strong partnerships and giving donations that it has.

“The dollars that have been made available to us … allow these kids to have this experience at no cost,” Steele said.

Arnell said that “we want to pass it on. I think it’s a program that could stay forever, as long as there’s a dollar bill to keep it going.”