Delaware Hospice hosts grief summer camps

New Hope, a nationally recognized program of Delaware Hospice, hosted two four-day grief summer camps this summer. Close to 100 children ages 6-17 attended Camp New Hope. One camp took place at Lums Pond in Bear in June and the other at the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford in July.

Camp New Hope provides children ages 6-17 an opportunity to connect with peers who have had similar experiences in an attempt to help them share and understand their grief. The children learn to cope with what they are going through by means of discussion, various projects, and interaction with counselors. Funneling negative feelings into positive actions through positive, age-appropriate coping skills is the goal of the camp.

During the first day of camp, children are divided into groups based on their age, which encourages bonding and sharing with each other. Trained volunteers and counselors lead the children through activities, games and sports. Campers enjoy activities such as memorial art projects - memory boxes, bracelets, tree ornaments, and paintings. These help the kids reach out to the counselors and their peers for guidance and understanding. The progression and understanding of their grief moves at an astonishing pace as the campers become comfortable.

A Camp Memorial Service finishes out the emotional week for campers and their families. During this service, each camper has the opportunity to make special presentations to honor their loved ones in front of family members and their newly made friends. From camp, children take away the skills to construct a strong foundation upon which they can build as they go through their life experiences. They will be better equipped to cope with other losses throughout their life.

The success of Camp New Hope is largely due to the volunteer efforts of many individuals in the community and donations made to Delaware Hospice. For more information, call 800-838-9800 or go to www.delawarehospice.org.