On Maui, this pop-up camp gives the youngest evacuees a chance to just be kids

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Parents in Lahaina who lost everything have a monumental task ahead of them — all while trying to help their kids comprehend the gravity of what happened.

But a group called Project:Camp is trying to give families a break — even for just a few hours.

Laughter is not something you’ll hear a lot of after a tragedy like the Lahaina fire, but it filled the halls of the Maui YMCA this week — as kids were able to be kids.

Project:Camp lets kids laugh, play, eat and give parents a much-needed break.

Raven Hart is a local volunteer with the group. She says many kids have tough stories of survival, leaving as the fire sprinted toward their homes.

“I think that’s the best way to get through trauma is to have positive experiences,” she said.

The camp comes at no cost and is even open to parents who are first responders.

Isabel Griffiths and little sister Eloise left with her parents before the fire stole their home.

“It’s nice to have a break and forget and have fun,” she said.

Her mom Abby and dad Michael’s scuba diving business is gone and they say they’re left with piles of maddening government red tape as they try to collect their lives.

‘Part of me feels like it was a million years ago, part of me feels like it was like last night.”

They’ve done their best to hide the horrors of what happened from their girls.

It doesn’t always work, but Project:Camp has helped.

Ozzie Baron, with the group, says Project:Camp is about bringing resilience to communities under stress. “We are a group of former summer camp directors and we can pop-up a day camp anywhere in the United States in about 48 hours,” Baron said.

Baron says they focus is on the good.

“Some are grateful they have their pets. Some are thankful that they are still together with their friends, and that drum beat optimism ... is deeply helpful for these kids.”