Chesapeake Life Center is pleased to announce that its renowned grief camps will go on – just in a different way for children ages 6 to 12, and in a new venue for ages 13 to 18.
Grief Burst 2020! is a virtual camp for grieving children. Under the guidance of the center’s expert grief counselors, children will be able to explore the many ways individuals experience grief. They can learn new ways to heal and grow while connecting with peers who have experienced similar losses. Along the way, kids can share stories, laugh, move their bodies and create things, too.
All campers will receive a camp toolbox with a Grief Burst 2020! T-shirt and all the materials needed to participate in each session’s camp projects and activities.
The Zoom telehealth sessions will take place as follows:
- Ages 6 to 8 will meet from 10 to 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 11, and Thursday, Aug. 13.
- Ages 8 to 10 will meet from 10 to 11:30 a.m., Monday, Aug. 10, and Wednesday, Aug. 12.
- Ages 10 to 12 will meet from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 10, and Wednesday, Aug. 12.
- Then, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, all campers and their families will meet for the camp finale.
Registration is required by Aug. 7. The cost is $10 per camper.
The teens’ grief camp, Camp Phoenix, will take place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at Terrapin Adventures at Historic Savage Mill at 8600 Foundry St. By using team building exercises and other activities to help them get to know each other, teens ages 13 to 18, will find a space where the many emotions of grief are met with care and compassion. Professional counselors offer the expertise to support these teens as they navigate grief while having fun and discovering they are not alone. As this is an outdoor event that has limited participation, the team is confident of it can offer a safe experience for all participants, and will take all the necessary precautions, following guidelines from the Center for Disease Control. Registration is required by Aug. 3. The cost is $40, and includes snacks, meals, activities and a T-Shirt.
Scholarships are available for both camps; inquire upon registering. Call 888-501-7077 or email griefinfo@chesapeakelifecenter.org.
The center’s services are perhaps needed now more than ever in its history, as individuals and the community grapple with grief in physical isolation due to the COVID-19 health emergency. In response, the center has moved as many of its group and individual bereavement counseling services as is feasible to telehealth. The team’s counselors have all received training in telehealth to be sure that their services meet best practice standards. For details on how the center is responding to the pandemic, visit www.hospicechesapeake.org/clc-covid-19.
