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Within three months, Camp To Belong was born. The first camp in 1995 hosted 32 children in dorm rooms at the University of Las Vegas.  The local fire department dropped by with a truck and

hoses for some watery play time. Logs, crepe paper and flashlights served as pretend campfires. Since horseback riding was out of the question because of the summer heat, the groomers of the

stallions from the Excaliber Hotel’s medieval show brought them to the campers for a show-and-tell. Over the years, more than 10,000 youth, mostly aged 7 to 18, have attended one-week

sessions at Camp To Belong in Nevada and ten other states – and there’s a camp in Australia. The camp activities help build bonds between the reunited siblings and allow the youngsters to

have the small moments of togetherness that many in tight-knit families take for granted. Campers exchange gifts with their siblings during a festive, all-camp birthday party; they construct

pillows emblazoned with personal sentiments for their siblings; and they draw inspiration from each other during campfire chats. The children learn about each other as they tell secrets and

share their struggles. “It is important that we secure lifelong memories, and to do that you have to create conversation and emotional environments and what we call normalcy,” says Price.

“The program recipe that Lynn devised is a formula that I guarantee strengthens bonds,” said Jeff Grandy, a former volunteer and former Camp to Belong administrator for Nevada. “Lynn has

inspired and lifted so many kids who feel they are broken, or don’t think they have a chance or who think that no one cares about them.” Kayla Hubert first attended camp in Colorado in 1999.

She was 8 years old; her brother Randy, who lived in another city, was poised to enter military boot camp. “Even through his 15 years in the military and other life experiences, we have

stayed really close and we talk to each other nearly every day,” she said. “I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for the experience at camp, we wouldn’t be this close.” Following the camp

sessions, the children receive support from partner organizations around the country through “sibling preservation programs,” which help continue the bonding process through events such as

picnics or field trips. “I hear from kids 22 years later who attended our first camp and say they are so thankful that we let them know they mattered,” said Price.