Camp Promise
Camp Promise is a free camp offered by the Hospice of VNS Center for Loss
and Hope to help children ages 6 – 11 process a significant loss, such as
a parent, grandparent or sibling.
This year the camp will be held:
June 23 – 25, 2008
from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. each day
The camp will be held on the grounds of the Justin T. Rogers Hospice Care Center
at 3358 Ridgewood Road in Fairlawn, and is being sponsored by the Westminster
Presbyterian Church.
A free morning snack, afternoon snack and boxed lunch will be provided daily.
Camp enrollment is limited and is available on a first-come, first-served
basis. To register your child, please call Rochelle Sheppard, Bereavement
Coordinator, at 330-668-4662 or 800-335-1455, Ext. 4662.
If you would like to support this special program by making a contribution to
Camp Promise, please call Evelyn Burkhart in the Development Office at
330-668-4656.
What will the kids do all day?
Creative stations will be set up on site to allow the children to express and
process their grief reactions through play. The death of a loved one can be an
overwhelming event for anyone. Children will learn to manage and understand
their significant loss through creative play.
Who will watch over the children?
A staff of experienced bereavement professionals will oversee the children as
they go through the creative stations.
How do I sign my child up and is there any cost?
There is no cost to attend Camp Promise. Morning and afternoon snacks, boxed
lunches and all supplies will be provided daily. Please notify us if your
child has any dietary concerns when you register. To register your child,
please call Rochelle Sheppard, Bereavement Coordinator, at 330-668-4662 or
800-335-1455, Ext. 4662.
Guidelines for Helping Children who Grieve
- Parents, communicate to your children that they can openly express the feelings
they have when a loved one dies.
- Parents, remember children communicate their thoughts and feelings according to
their particular stage of development.
- Children also process their grief in “bite size” pieces over time. They may
mourn the death of a parent, grandparent, or someone the child was close to, on
and off for several years.
Oftentimes, we hesitate to talk
about death especially with
young children or
adolescents…
… but without the courage to
talk openly and freely we
greatly limit our ability to
help.