Camp Courage: Giving Grieving Kids Strength

“Camp Courage,” the annual summertime day camp for children who have lost loved ones, presented by Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Illinois, is accepting registration for this summer’s program.

Set for July 11-15, 2011, at Camp Duncan in Ingleside, the camp has been extended to five days. Children ages 6-13 who have experienced the loss of a loved one are welcome to attend. The camp is offered at no cost to participants who qualify, with costs covered by donations from sponsors, grants and other funding sources.

Camp Courage features a variety of group activities that promote fun while encouraging children to share their feelings and learn healthy ways to grieve. Activities include swimming, boating, rock climbing, team building course, arts and crafts, song writing, hiking, and assorted forms of entertainment. On the final day of camp, family members are invited to join the campers for a memorial service and barbecue. Grief support counselors from HPNI, along with trained volunteers of all ages, provide leadership at the camp.

To register, call or email the Grief Support staff at HPNI at bereavement@HospiceAnswers.org or 224-770-CARE to set up an interview.