Camp Phoenix Family Retreat Another Successful Event!

    

21 grieving people, 12 parents and nine children, attended the 2008 Camp Phoenix Family Retreat on Saturday, April 12 at Shining Hope Farms, a property that belongs to an organization that was created specifically to provide therapy to children and adults who have physical or mental deficiencies.  The locale is a particularly scenic and appropriate one for Camp Phoenix, as children and adults learn to ride and groom horses, as well as play games and picnic while they participate in grief therapy.

"I thought it was a valuable time of connecting for the kids and their families," said David Kneen, Gaston Hospice social worker and first time Camp volunteer.  "Connecting to one another, to their grief, and to good memories."

As always, families experiencing grief from death of a family member participated in creative and recreational activities designed to help them process the death of a loved one and learn to deal with their grief in ways that are healthy and healing.

Like all good camps, Camp Phoenix offers fun and games to campers ages 7-15 and their parents. What makes this camp unique is that, mixed in with the fun, campers are exposed to a broader understanding of the pain of losing a loved one. Children who attend are dealing with the deaths of cherished mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and grandfathers.

Grief sessions are designed to help the families face death, learn how to identify feelings of grief and how to cope with change related to loss. Counselors use crafts, art, remembering exercises and storytelling as part of their plans to help children accept death as a natural part of life.

"Grief comes in spurts, mixed in with times of fun and laughter," says Terri Ray, director of grief services at Gaston Hospice. "So Camp Phoenix offers relief from the seriousness of mourning with fun activities."  This year, new activities include:

• basic horsemanship skills
• age appropriate grief work
• family-oriented activities
• family picnic
• fun recreational events

Camp staff are professional counselors from the New Hope Counseling Center for Grief and Loss of Gaston Hospice. Special bereavement volunteers receive instruction to work with grieving children and "often volunteer because they have learned the value of grief therapy from personal experience," says Adrian Thornburg, Gaston Hospice grief counselor in charge of the camp.

There is no charge to attend Camp Phoenix, although there is a $10 refundable fee to hold a space. The camp is sponsored in part by Bi-Lo. Anyone interested in finding out more about the camp should call the Gaston Hospice office at (704) 861-8405.

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Kevin E. Murray