Bucks County Clinician Volunteers At Ukraine Summer Camp

With the ongoing devastation of the Russian invasion, a local clinician is embarking on a mission to bring solace and support to Ukrainian children whose lives have been altered by war.

Vera Penkalskyj, a psychologist at the Middletown Township-based Family Service Association of Bucks County, left the United States at the end of June for a more than 40-hour journey to volunteer at a summer “rehabilitation” camp in Ukraine.

Penkalskyj, the granddaughter of Ukrainian immigrants, is dedicating her time as a volunteer psychologist and counselor at Project Soniashnyk Camp, a designated fund of the BCU Foundation in Toronto.

The camp caters to Ukrainian children between ages of 11 and 17.

The goal of the camp is to address the profound mental health challenges the kids face after more than three years of conflict across Ukraine.

“I just wanted to offer my services and give something back to Ukraine and these children, because so much has already been taken from them,” said Penkalskyj. “It is really just about helping in any way I can.”

Since the invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian children have endured unimaginable loss and have witnessed or experienced violence and destruction.

A woman is helped through rubble in the war zone in Ukraine.
Credit: ДСНС України

Experts have said the psychological toll on children in the country has been immense.

Project Soniashnyk Camp was launched in 2023 and directly addresses the needs of kids.

While offering traditional camp activities like rafting, swimming, sports, tents and campfires, its core mission is its counseling component.

“We of course need to be trained in basic first aid and have camp counseling experience, and there is a team of 14 psychologists, medical consultants, grief counselors, and therapists on hand,” Penkalskyj said. “Throughout the day we also conduct team building, as well as story and art therapy sessions. Basically, we are just there for them when they need us.”

Each two-week session serves 130 children with a staff of 35 counselors.

While this is Penkalskyj’s first time volunteering at the camp, she is no stranger to Ukraine, having visited the country three times previously.

Kristin DeForest, CEO of Family Service, expressed pride in Penkalskyj’s summer plans.

“I cannot think of a more inspiring story than Vera’s,” said DeForest. “She truly represents everything that we hope for from our amazing staff, especially when it comes to supporting those who need us the most.”

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