Youth dealing with grief and loss have the opportunity to join other young people for the twelfth annual State of the Heart Hospice Camp BEARable July 13-15. The camp is free and is open to any youth ages six to 15 dealing with grief. It is not necessary to have had an association with hospice care. Registrations for the camp, which will be held at the Spiritual Center of Maria Stein, are currently being accepted. Applications are on line, or you can stop in at any of the agency’s offices for an application. The agency web site is www.stateoftheheartcare.org.
“The feedback we get from both the youth who attend and the adult volunteers assigned to them as trained camp “buddies” is wonderful and reinforces the value of the camp,” said Marlene Black, Bereavement Specialist and camp coordinator. Volunteers are always needed, she added.
Last year, nearly 40 youth attended the camp. Of that number 33 had no association with hospice care, Black explained. “In many instances the youth has experienced the loss of a parent, a sibling, a grandparent, or a friend. They all share the same bond of grieving the loss of someone they loved.”
Hospices nationwide offer camps for youth who are dealing with grief. The belief among bereavement specialists is that by talking about grief and loss issues early in life, many problems in later life can be prevented. Camps provide a mix of fund and games along with serious dialogue about grief and loss.
State of the Heart Hospice has provided care to patients and families confronting a life-limiting illness. The locally-based non-profit agency with offices in Greenville, Coldwater and Portland, cares for patients in southwest Ohio and eastern Indiana. Bereavement support is an important part of the services provided by State of the Heart.
An orientation is required for volunteers who help with Camp BEARable, Black said. . “We are looking for volunteers to help and are encouraging any youth who would like to attend to get in touch with us,” she said. Black can be reached at 1-800-417-7535 or by email: mblack@stateoftheheartcare.org
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