Fifty young adults gather at Colby College for special program
WATERVILLE – Families everywhere are affected by the traumas of war and terrorism. Project Common Bond has spent 11 years helping those affected in a program designed for healing.
“I think it’s a fantastic learning experience as well as coping and peace building and love gaining experience,” said Project Common Bond Staff Member Francesca Picerno.
The one week program is run by Tuesday’s Children, a national nonprofit that helps people impacted by terrorism worldwide. Fifty young adults between the ages of 15 and 20 stay at Colby College for a week, listening to speakers and participating in numerous activities.
“We like to think of the work that we do as countering violent extremism in a lot of different ways,” said Tuesday’s Children Executive Director Terry Sears.
Participants in the program have all lost a family member to acts of terrorism or war. They view the program as an opportunity to heal as a group and make lasting friendships.
“We all make the effort to be a part of each other’s lives and to keep positively influencing each other’s lives,” said Project Common Bond Participant Kimberly Raines.
This year, participants come from 14 different countries.