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Children who’ve lost a loved one in the military attend ‘Little Warriors Camp’

Posted at 5:46 PM, Jul 21, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-21 19:46:49-04

TOOELE, Utah — 52 children who have lost a close loved one in military service are getting a chance to escape from the unimaginable grief.

“I’m here for my dad really,” said Ayden, one of the children attending the camp.  “Because, I guess he died in the military.”

Ayden is one of the kids taking part in the Little Warriors Camp organized by the Utah Elks.

“We bring them here for three days and try to spoil them the best way that we can,” said Robert Pagnani, the Veterans Chairman of the Utah Elks.

Campers take part in several activities including swimming, rock climbing, an obstacle course and zip line.

“It’s really fast and it just made me scream,’ said Boinli, one of the campers who rode down the zip line.

The Utah Elks rely on volunteers and donations to put the camp together.

“It’s rewarding for myself to know someone else’s experience,” said Quinn Hardman, one of the volunteers.

The Elks organize the camp as a way to give back to the community.  

“We hope that we can take away the sadness that they might have and give them happiness and to show them how much we care about them,” Pagnani said. 

This is the fifth year of the camp that continues to grow.  Campers enjoy the experience so much, they hope to come back year after year.

“I love it.  I love it here.  It’s the most goodest camp that I’ve ever been,” Boinli said.