Sailors from Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) joined volunteers from the Norfolk community, during the week of June 22, to mentor young people from lower income families at The Camp.

The Camp is a week-long summer camp organized by Trinity Presbyterian Church and held at P. B. Young Sr. Elementary School in Norfolk.

As children arrived with their parents, volunteers enthusiastically cheered on names of the various groups such as "The Magnificent Third Graders" and "The Fantastic Fourth Graders." Sailors, wearing the blue t-shirts representing them as volunteers, cheered along, participating throughout the day in various roles.

"Just having the Sailors out here and helping these kids learn sports and art makes a difference," said Lt. Cmdr. Ferguson Harris, a chaplain on board Bush. "We were deployed in 2014 and brought the fight to the enemy. Now we're back home in Norfolk, and we're impacting the community by helping this neighborhood in terms of volunteering our time and our talents to this effort. Not only have we made a difference overseas, but we're now making a difference here in our own homeport."

The Camp is in the Young Terrace community in West Norfolk and was established by the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority as a means to provide housing for low-income individuals. In this community, 70 percent of households fall below the national poverty line, and half of the population did not complete high school.

"The Camp is the foundation of relationships that Trinity Church has built in the Young Terrace community with the vision of racial reconciliation and overcoming social, economic and geographical barriers in the city of Norfolk," said Rebecca Howell, director of The Camp. "These children are offered a safe and nurturing environment where they foster relationships with other youth and volunteers."

Some of these volunteers, including Chaplain Harris, acted as counselors, leading the kids through various activities during the week. These activities included several sports and physical activities, arts and crafts, and classes which depicted stories from the Bible, as well as lessons regarding a faith in God and other Christian-affiliated teachings. While counselors led the kids from one activity to the next, other volunteers acted as coaches, including Cryptologic Technician (Collection) 2nd Class Austin Kolar and Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) 3rd Class Nick Witkowski, who coached football and Frisbee.

"Today was a great chance to get outside and have fun with the kids," said Kolar. "The kids heard we're in the Navy, and they thought that was pretty neat."

"It was awesome seeing the kids have fun and use teamwork," added Witkowski. "They had a great time."

Sailors such as Kolar and Witkowski learned about these community relations events through the ship's Command Religious Ministries Department. This department includes the chaplains and religious program specialists. Chaplain Harris said he became aware of The Camp through a local church who partnered with Trinity Presbyterian Church.

"Our goal is to bring quality instruction, safety and fun to the kids as they transition from school and into the summer school programs we have set up in this community," said Jack Howell, a pastor with Trinity Presbyterian Church. "This is a great opportunity for our Sailors and friends. This is a great way to feel rewarded and encouraged and have a lot of fun at the same time."

From ensuring the kids have fun and stay safe to providing a healthy and educational experience, the volunteers who participate at The Camp contributed their time and energy in serving the community.

USS George H.W. Bush is currently undergoing a planned incremental availability at Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

For news regarding USS George H.W. Bush, go to www.navy.mil/local/cvn77