The Visiting Nurse Association’s VNA Phoenix Center will sponsor a one-day grief camp for children who are grieving the loss of someone special in their life. The camp will be held on Saturday, October 27th from 9 am until 4 pm. The Valparaiso Family YMCA has provided the use of the new YMCA pavilion in partnership with the VNA for this important community project.
The death of a loved one can be very tough for kids. It can be especially difficult for children when they don’t understand death and how to cope with the feelings of loss. The goal of the camp is to teach children coping skills as well as provide the opportunity to interact with other children who have had similar experiences. Campers learn their feelings are normal and, like the seasons, persons in grief change and grow.
Campers are assigned to groups with children and teens of similar ages and are supervised by adult “buddies” – specially trained VNA staff and volunteers – as they participate in camp activities.
Cost of the camp is $25, with some scholarships available. Lunch, snacks and supplies are provided during the day. No limitations are placed on how long ago the death occurred, the circumstances surrounding the death, or the relationship to the child.
The VNA Phoenix Center, which helps provide healing after loss for children and their families, is a program of the Visiting Nurse Association of Porter County. The Center offers peer support groups for children ages 6-18 and young adults up to age 24 who are grieving the death of someone special in their life. The program is provided free of charge, thanks to the generosity of the community.
For more information or to download a registration form for the camp, please visit the VNA website at www.VNAportercounty.org, or call 219-531-8042.