Grief camp for kids getting more volunteers

The Grande Prairie and District Grief Support Association continue to see their Heal-a-Heart camps fill up in the summer.
 
The camps allow children and youth who have experienced death, loss, divorce or separation to attend supportive programming and make new friends. The organization’s two one-week overnight camps for ages nine to 15 had a total of 46 children in 2017. In 2018, they were able to have a total of 50 attend which they attribute to their volunteer component.
 
Clinical Director Carla Eckstrom says people who donate their time make a difference.
 
“If we have more volunteers, they can spend one-on-one time with kids. They can do more activities with the kids. For the kids, it is a wonderful thing because (they) know people care,” says Eckstrom.
 
She says they fill up pretty early in the year with camps at capacity by May or early June last year.
 
The teens and children are also able to take home a teddy bear or blanket when they attend camp.
 
“We have had kids with a big box of their bears, blankets or candles and they said when they are feeling sad they bring them out because they feel that connection to camp.”
 
The bear and blanket campaign serves a double purpose as it helps the organization raise funds as well. Each item is $75 to sponsor and tax-deductible, says Eckstrom.
 
Camp registration is available on the association’s website along with contact information for sponsorship. Eckstrom says most of the camp attendees have been registered after hearing about the program through word-of-mouth.