Therapy programs support kids at Camp Good Grief

Published 2:00 pm Saturday, June 4, 2016

The saying is “everyone is going through something,” and although children are not the first to come to mind when that saying is heard, they are certainly no exception.

Fortunately for those children in Baldwin and surrounding counties there is Camp Good Grief.

Camp Good Grief is in its 18th year of helping kids between ages 6 to 14 learn to cope with parents going through divorce, the loss of a loved one, or even loss of a pet.

During the three-day camp, participants take part in various types of therapy where they learning to deal with their emotions of loss.

The camp is held at Northside Baptist Church in Milledgeville. The therapies include art, music, writing, pet and recreation.

The camp serves between 40 and 50 kids and has about 35 volunteers.

Brenda Knight has been Camp Coordinator since 2009 and said she has seen all types of children who have suffered many kinds of loss.

“It teaches the children how to deal with their grief,” she said. “It teaches them how to let go and it teaches them that they might not get over it right now, but it will help you get rid of it.”

Each camp ends with a special ceremony that serves as a symbol for the children getting through their losses. The children release balloons into the air to signify letting go of their grief.

Knight added that a big benefit for the kids is getting to meet people their age that are in similar situations.

“They meet other children that have the same problem and these kids come in when they are very sad and don’t know how to deal with [their grief]. By the time they have finished camp, they know there are other people besides them and they are exchanging phone numbers and email addresses to keep in contact with each other.”

Funding for Camp Good Grief is provided by its sponsor Hospice Care Options Foundations of Milledgeville, but donations are always welcome.