Local camp, mentorship program serves Mat-Su Valley foster kids

WASILLA — Not every child has a family they can rely on growing up, but the local leaders of one organization are trying to change that for kids in the Mat-Su Valley.

Royal Family Kids, now in its third year in the Mat-Su, offers camps, clubs and mentorship programs to children ages 6-12 in foster care across the country.

“To have a positive adult relationship in their life is huge,” said Mat-Su director Rachel Olson, who has also been a foster parent.

Having experienced a Royal Family Kids Camp in Anchorage, Olson knew how impactful it could be for foster kids in the Valley, if only they had the means to attend. So in 2014, she and her husband communicated with organization officials and founded their own camp.

Each chapter of the organization is backed by a Christian congregation of some kind (usually a church), but neither volunteers nor campers need have a Christian or faith background to be involved.

“We wanna communicate to every child that they’re valuable, precious and loved,” Olson said. “We wanna help build self esteem and self worth.”

Those sentiments can be hard to establish in the minds of children who have been abused, abandoned or neglected, but just a week at Royal Family Kids Camp, Olson said, can at least begin the process.

“It’s a very stimulating environment and it might be overwhelming at first, but usually after the first day or two all that goes away,” she said.

At camp, counselors are referred to as “cousins” and program volunteers as “grandmas,” “grandpas,” “aunts” or “uncles” to help campers feel more comfortable.

“For some kids a counselor is a great thing, but that’s not always the case,” Olson said.

Provided they have a positive experience at camp, kids can choose to be a part of the Royal Family during the school year by pairing up with a mentor — often one of the “cousins” they had at camp.

Palmer resident Matt Fisher said he is currently the mentor of a 9-year-old boy he had as a camper a couple years ago, and they’re both loving it.

“He’s very active and he likes to be outside and likes to have fun, so he fits pretty well with our family,” Fisher said.

Fisher said his 6- and 10-year-old sons especially enjoy having the boy around, treating him like any of their other friends.

“They don't see him as a foster kid, they see him as boy that’s fun to be around,” Fisher said.

From September to May, mentors are required to spend a minimum of 6 hours with their foster kid each month, including the 2-hour “club” meeting held locally at the MTA Sports Center in Palmer for all former campers.

At camp, “cousins” are responsible for two campers at all times for five days, except during arranged breaks (a “night angel” usually comes to relieve “cousins” for a few hours each night).

Fisher said he would recommend both the mentorship program and camp to anyone over the age of 18 who wants to be a part of a rewarding relationship with a child.

“You will probably get more out of it than they will. It’ll probably end up bringing healing to you that you didn't realize that you needed,” he said.

This year’s camp is Sunday-Thursday, June 26-30. For child sign up information, contact Rachel Olson at matsu@royalfamilykids.org.

To learn more about Royal Family Kids of Mat-Su, visit matsu.royalfamilykids.org or attend the Royal Family Kids 2016 Fundraiser Gala at Teeland Middle School on Saturday, April 23, beginning at 6 p.m. The fundraiser will include live and silent auctions, a live band, hors d’oeuvres and desserts, and testimonies from Royal Family Kids volunteers.

Contact reporter Caitlin Skvorc at 352-2266 or caitlin.skvorc@frontiersman.com.