Well, I’m back in the ol’ cubicle after three amazing days at summer camp.  I’ve had to put down the water balloons and pick up the phone, trade my pool time for meeting time, and unfortunately, I’m pretty sure lunch will not be chicken nuggets and Kool-Aid today.

 

Last week was the 12th annual Baptist Trinity Camp Good Grief, a bereavement camp for kids who have recently lost a family member.  The idea for Camp Good Grief was homegrown right here in Memphis by a team at Baptist Trinity Hospice, including Angela Hamblen (or “Queen Angela” as the campers call her).   It is a wonderful, jewel of a program, and Memphis should be very proud of it.  Angela has even traveled to other cities to share the team’s experiences with groups that want to start similar camps.

 

Camp is staffed by amazing volunteers from Baptist, the Junior League of Memphis, MidSouth Therapy Dogs and Friends, and former campers just to name a few.

 

During camp, the 40 young campers had tons of fun, playing water games, doing arts and crafts, singing camp songs, and more.  Each morning, I would ask a few campers what their favorite thing was from the day before.  The answer was always the same – swimming.  (I agreed – it was a great way to cool off on a hot summer day.)  But each day, the campers would do some hard work, too – meeting in small grief groups to talk about the feelings and emotions that come with losing a loved one and learning important tools to help them after camp.

 

There are many memories that I’ll take with me from Camp Good Grief.  One of the most touching was the Memorial Service on the last day of camp.  Each camper wrote a note to their family member and tied it to the ribbon of a yellow balloon.  On the lawn of the camp chapel, surrounded by woods and a perfectly blue sky with a few white fluffy clouds, one by one, Angela called the campers up.  They would bravely walk to her with their yellow balloon in their little hands.  She would say, ”This balloon is released in memory of your Mama.”  Or, “This balloon is released in memory of your Grandpa.”  And then they’d open their hand, let their balloon go, and watch it lift to the sky, carrying the note with it.  It was an amazing moment.

 

 

 

We wrapped up with songs and skits, and it was apparent that the kids had learned some important stuff in three days.  Each skit touched on how, as they move forward, it’s okay to be sad, confused, angry, scared…and it’s okay to be happy, too.  The campers said things like, ”When I’m sad, I’ll talk to someone about my feelings.”  And, “When I’m confused, I’ll write in my journal.”  Mission accomplished.

 

I have endless appreciation and admiration for this beautiful program, and I’m already looking forward to next year!