Lionel Perez-Augelez, a 10-year-old resident of Bowling Green, hid in the bathroom of his home during the 2021 tornadoes after seeing wind rattling trees and flinging outdoor chairs into the street.

But what he really wanted to talk about was the dance routine he and other campers put on for the talent show at Camp Noah last week.

Perez-Augelez was one of around 50 local students who attended the camp at Drakes Creek Middle School Friday. The camp aimed to help young survivors of natural disasters cope and heal from trauma.

It began in 1997 in response to severe flooding in North Dakota and Minnesota’s Red River Valley region and grew significantly following Hurricane Katrina in 2006. Over 273 camps have since been held across 29 states for around 14,000 elementary-age children.

Salome James, program coordinator for the Briarwood Elementary Family Resource Center, helped organize the event alongside the Camp Noah national program.

She hadn’t heard of the camp before a representative contacted Warren County Public Schools to fund it entirely.

“It’s just love and hope,” Salome said. “It’s to tell them ‘even though you’re going through something, there’s something brighter on the other side.’ ”

Campers spend the week sharing their stories, crafting skits and art, playing games and learning coping skills. Many of them do not speak English, or otherwise would not have been able to afford the cost of other camps, Salome said.

“The concept is wonderful because these kids, whether we know about it or not, have gone through trauma,” she said. “I think we can get that and help them understand strategies to help cope with that shock.

Salome said while this is the first camp held in Bowling Green, it was a major success and she’d love to see it return next summer.

Camp Noah’s team shipped blankets, backpacks, survival kits and supplies free for each student, worth about $200 each, Salome said. All the school had to do was provide transportation, breakfast and lunch, and volunteers.

Salome’s children, Brandon and Bailey, were two such volunteers.

Brandon, 15, and his family spent days following the 2021 tornadoes handing out food supplies to those in need, some of whom attended the camp. He walked away feeling surprisingly good.

“I was happy to be helping,” Brandon said. “My house wasn’t hit, my neighborhood wasn’t affected, but these kids were – their parents couldn’t even go to their jobs. It just felt good to help out a lot of these kids.”