Universal Home Health and Hospice in association with the United Way of Logan County hosted Camp Braveheart Thursday and Friday, offering area youths with the chance to explore the outdoors while bonding with others who have experienced the similar loss of a loved one.
Camp Braveheart is an annual grief camp at Marmon Valley Farm, 7754 S. State Route 292, for children ages 7-14. This year due to restrictions from COVID-19, the camp had to reduce its numbers to 30 children.
While at Camp Braveheart, the children partake in activities ranging from horseback riding, a challenge course, archery, and a climbing wall, along with more grief-centered activities such as small group discussions and journaling.
Camp Director Lauryn Schlinglof said the program has three main goals.
“The first being to normalize the feelings of grief. The next is to connect them with other kids who have gone through similar losses. Lastly, we teach the kids that it is OK to have fun, laugh, and enjoy themselves while going through the grief process.”
The children are divided into smaller groups led by two instructors. Most activities are led by one or two other instructors.
While doing a team-building exercise involving connecting pipes to allow a ball to pass through, the children recognized that they did not have the same pieces, and they had to discuss how to make a path for the ball to travel through.
After of the activity, the instructor said, “We all have different talents and abilities.
That’s why you each had different pipes that connected in different ways. You each are unique and wonderful in your own way; you just have to find where you fit.”
Many of the campers had particular activities that they are looking forward to experiencing.
“I am most excited for horseback riding, but I also loved making s’mores,” eight-year-old Brynn Parks said.
Sisters Brooklyn, 10, and Kylie, 8, said that they too were also most excited for horseback riding. Avery, 9, said she was most excited to ride horses and climb the rock wall.
Camp Braveheart offers many benefits for children, with one grandmother relating, “There are no words to explain the difference this has made for my grandchildren.”
A mother of a camper also stated, “My daughter finally talked about her dad for the first time since his death. I cannot say ‘thank you’ enough for helping her finally find the words to articulate her loss.”