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2003 Spring Wings Camp
Did anyone see balloons flying over Johnston County one recent Saturday afternoon?
On March 15th, Wings Camp for Grieving Children was held at Camp Tuscaroroa. Twelve children, ages 5 through 17, who had experienced recent losses of loved ones, attended the camp. The children learned effective coping mechanisms to help them thru this very difficult time in their life.
The day opened with everyone sharing a light breakfast of coffee, juice and yummy doughnuts. After introductions, the children, their guardians, and 3HC staff watched on brief video on grief and then broke up into small groups for sharing.
3HC staff volunteers led the children's sharing group. Along with talking about their loved ones, the kids learned coping skills to help them in the future. The adults had an opportunity to share with each other, too! They discussed how they dealt with their own grief and then learned ways to help their children through their grief process.
The children decided to give themselves a name, "The Wings Gang", and wrote a pledge to remind them of what they can do to help with grief in the future. The kids called their group The Wings! Gang and they wrote their own pledge to:
- Be a guide to others
- Help others with grieving
- Give hope
- Listen
- Understand
- Give
- Hug others when they are sad
- Continue to be social (i.e. continue with their own activities)
And most importantly, they pledged,
- To Miss You (their loved one)
 The adults and children were brought back together for a pizza lunch. After the meal was finished, each family put together a memory album. 3HC staff members helped the families design an album focused around their loved one that had passed. The albums were unique, one was of a father and son's fishing trips taken before the father passed away. Another one was of a mother's love for her only son, pictures of her holding him, planning his birthday party and Christmas before she passed on. Each album told a story. There were a lot of tears as well as a lot of laughter.
For the day camp's closing ceremony, brightly colored balloons were released. Each contained a note written by one of the camp children to their loved one. One little boy touchingly wrote, "I love you, Dad, and will see you in heaven".
- 3HC -
2402 Wayne Memorial Drive
Goldsboro, NC 27534
919-735-1387
info@3hc.org
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