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TALLAHASSEE – Today, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s
Division of Recreation and Parks was honored with a luncheon and flag ceremony
at Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park. The event was hosted by
members of Operation Purple®, a support program for teenagers with active-duty
military parents. Group members and teens paid tribute to the five Florida state
parks that offered programs centered on helping cope with deployment-related
challenges while fostering an appreciation for natural Florida.
“Operation Purple® is a wonderful organization, and the support its leaders
offer military children is truly commendable,” said DEP Secretary Michael W.
Sole, a Gulf War Veteran. “Florida’s dynamic state parks offer positive
experiences to help Operation Purple® teenagers cope with having a deployed
parent.”
More than 60 Operation Purple® campers and staff began a seven-day journey at
Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach on June 18. From there, the campers
visited Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, Big Shoals State Park,
Torreya State Park, Florida Caverns State Park and Lake Jackson Mounds
Archaeological State Park, exploring Florida’s rich historical and cultural
sites while learning camping and other outdoor skills. Campers also experienced
military mission situations, recreational activities and camaraderie with their
peers.
“This is a terrific initiative to focus on the emotional needs of the
children of our men and women in uniform, many of whom are serving in harm’s
way,” said Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs Executive Director LeRoy
Collins Jr., a retired Navy Reserve Rear Admiral. “What better place to bring
together these young people in an atmosphere of camaraderie than in Florida’s
award-winning state parks.”
Sponsored by the National Military Family Association (NFMA), the Michael &
Susan Dell Foundation and the Sierra Club, Operation Purple® is the only summer
camp program that assists children of the U.S. Armed Forces. NMFA developed this
free summer camp program in response to the increasing need of support for
military children. The camp offers help through the counselors and also by
bringing together peers who are in similar situations. The program, which began
in 2004 with 12 Operation Purple® camps, has grown to 62 locations in 2008.
“The partnership between the Florida State Parks and the National Military
Family Association's Operation Purple® Florida Camp has been an exceptional way
to introduce teens from military families to the great outdoors and the need to
conserve our natural resources,” said Del Mucci, Director of Youth Programs at
Hurlburt Field and the co-sponsor of the Florida Operation Purple® program. “The
safe environment and uniqueness of each state park offers great locations to
host leadership skills and teambuilding training to help our youth deal with the
unique challenges of living in a family with a deployed military member.”
The Governor, Legislature and DEP demonstrated their collective dedication to
the U.S. Armed Services during the 2008 Session with the passage of Senate Bill
274, regarding Prisoner Of War/Missing In Action Flags at State Parks. DEP will
purchase and display the POW/MIA flag year-round at each state park where the
U.S. flag is displayed.
“Florida State Parks are avid supporters of military families, and Operation
Purple® is an excellent program for state parks to enrich children’s lives,”
said Director of Florida State Parks Mike Bullock, a Vietnam Veteran. “The
therapeutic nature of the great outdoors experienced in state parks will surely
benefit the children during this difficult time in their lives.”
The first two-time Gold Medal winner honoring the nation’s best state park
service, Florida’s state park system is one of the largest in the country with
161 parks spanning nearly 700,000 acres and 100 miles of sandy white beach. From
swimming and diving in Florida’s rivers and springs to birding and fishing or
hiking and riding on natural scenic trails, Florida’s state parks offer
year-around outdoor activities for all ages. Battle reenactments and Native
American festivals celebrate Florida’s unique history, while art shows, museums
and lighthouses offer a window into Florida’s cultural heritage. Florida’s state
parks are also home to the 2008 Best Beach in the nation, Caladesi Island State
Park, located off the coast of Southwest Florida in Pinellas County.
For more information about Florida State Parks, visit
www.FloridaStateParks.org. | 
