Meet Our North Korean Neighbors! A Week of Family Camp for North Korean Refugees
Roseville Rotary was happy to support White Bear Lake Rotary’s grant. This week-long family summer camp experience for North Korean refugees living in the US was hosted by White bear Lake Rotary Club at YMCA St. Croix in Hudson, Wisconsin from August 8 – 13, 2021.
A total of 21 people participated in this camp including 14 North Korean refugees from Utah, Texas, California, Florida, and Illinois; 4 Korean American NGO staff and their families, 3 from New Jersey and 1 from Mississippi, and 3 project volunteers associated with White Bear Lake Rotary Club.
The week of family camp with other North Korean refugees helped the families feel connected to each other and to develop a sense of belonging by engaging in a variety of activities. North Korean participants commented that experiencing the camp activities with fellow North Koreans helped them feel at home as if they were in their “hometowns”. Participants shared that the week’s experiences helped them to revisit their childhood – full of joy and fun.