Fall Camp: October 13-14, 2018
Spring Camp: March 9-10, 2019
Parents and Legal Guardians: To add your child to the Shannon’s Hope Camp’s waiting list or to register your child for the Stepping Stones Program please contact Nicole Garcia at Nicole@BridgesSC.org for the application and further instructions.
Shannon’s Hope is an initiative of Bridges. Shannon’s Hope, a weekend bereavement camp, serves children ages 6-15 who have experienced the death of a loved one. Shannon Heisler was the inspiration for the camp, which began in August 1989. The courage and hope demonstrated by this 16-year-old hospice patient, who died in November of 1988, were the driving forces behind the development of Shannon’s Hope.
What is Shannon’s Hope Camp?
Shannon’s Hope is a weekend grief camp for children who live in the local Charleston Tricounty area. The overnight camp seeks to help children & youth ages 6-15 who have experienced a significant loss of a loved one.
What happens at camp?
Shannon’s Hope incorporates best practice and evidence-informed methods/activities to support and help children in processing their loss. Through participation in fun, yet intense activities, children are encouraged to speak openly about their experiences with death and grief. The workshops are structured to teach children that feelings such as sadness, fear, anger, and desperation are all normal aspects of the grieving process. During camp, the children will also learn information about grief and death, how to manage their emotions and feelings about loss, how to remember their loved one in healthy ways, and to develop coping skills that they can use to manage their feelings. Together the children can create friendships, receive and provide support, and express their feelings in an emotionally safe environment. Shannon’s Hope creates a weekend of laughter, tears, sharing, remembering, and ultimately can help begin the process of healing for the children who attend.
How is the camp staffed?
The camp workshops are led by trained facilitators and volunteers who and familiar with grief and loss. These professional individuals volunteer their time and expertise to helping the children turn their stumbling blocks of grief into stepping stones of hope. Additionally, each child is paired with a trained volunteer, a “buddy,” who will ensure the child’s safety and provide compassionate individual support to them.
Applications & Fees
Shannon’s Hope is held twice a year at Camp St. Christopher on Seabrook Island. This fall, Shannon’s Hope Camp will take place on October 13th & 14th at Camp St. Christopher’s scenic beach environment. Transportation from North Charleston is available upon request. A fee of $35 per camper is requested to reserve a spot; however, scholarships are available based on financial need to ensure every child has the opportunity to attend and benefit. Bridges underwrites all camp costs. A parent/ legal guardian interview will be scheduled, after Bridges receives of the child’s application, PRIOR to the child’s acceptance to camp. No fees are requested until the child is accepted to camp. Applications for camp MUST be submitted by September 14th, 2018.
How to Refer a Child in Need?
Referrals of campers are welcomed from parents/legal guardians, counselors, teachers, ministers, or other concerned persons. After receiving an application, the Bridges Staff will then contact the child’s parent/legal guardian to schedule an interview PRIOR to the child’s acceptance to camp. No fees are requested until the child is accepted to camp. Applications for camp MUST be submitted by September 14th, 2018.
For more information or to request/submit an application, please contact:
Nicole Garcia
Program Manager
843.216.7323 or Nicole@BridgesSC.org
Interested in volunteering at camp? Please contact Nicole for the Volunteer Application.
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