Everheart Hospice to host free Camp and Courage grief camp in Montezuma this June

Everheart Hospice Bereavement Coordinator Caitlin Bowling joined Spectrum to discuss Camp and Courage, the organization’s annual grief support camp for children and teenagers who have experienced the loss of a loved one.

Bowling said the free two day day camp is open to children ages 6 to 15 and will be held June 11 and 12 at the Spiritual Center in Montezuma.

She said Camp and Courage is designed to help children feel less alone in their grief while also giving them healthy ways to process difficult emotions.

“A lot of what Camp and Courage does is it helps normalize the idea of being a kiddo who has unfortunately experienced the loss of a loved one,” Bowling said. “Because it can be a very isolating experience.”

Bowling said the camp includes therapeutic activities and exercises focused on healthy coping skills and mourning loss, but it also includes fun activities to keep the experience balanced and welcoming for young participants.

“We do take time to talk about our loved ones and try to remember them and maybe process some of those feelings, but trying to find that fine line, that balance to where it’s still an enjoyable experience and hopefully a fulfilling experience,” she said.

She noted that children and teens process grief differently depending on their age and stage of development. Younger children may struggle to understand death itself, while older children may wrestle with the long term reality of milestones happening without a loved one there.

Bowling said grief can affect how children understand emotions and relationships, which is why support and healthy mourning practices are so important.

“If we don’t find those healthy ways to mourn our loss, those feelings are coming out one way or another, sometimes not in the prettiest ways,” Bowling said.

Camp and Courage is free to families, though an application process is required so staff can learn more about each camper and their situation before camp begins.

Applications will be available through Everheart Hospice’s website at everhearthospice.org. Bowling said the organization will also share information through social media and local schools.

In addition to Camp and Courage, Bowling said Everheart Hospice offers free individual grief counseling and support groups for people in the community. She emphasized that those services are available whether or not a loved one was ever in hospice care.

“We understand the barriers that already exist with counseling as a whole, whether it be transportation, financial barriers, so we offer those grief support, grief counseling services all at no cost,” Bowling said.

Bowling, a licensed social worker, said she found her calling in bereavement work while in graduate school and has been with Everheart Hospice for nearly three years.

She said grief is never something people fully “get over,” but with time, support and healthy coping tools, it can become more manageable.

“Grief is complicated and messy,” Bowling said. “Sometimes it’s one step forward, two steps back.”

Everheart Hospice is also active on Facebook and Instagram, where it shares updates on programs, events and positive moments from across the organization.