Twenty-three children from Hope, Agassiz, Boston Bar, and Vancouver, along with 30 volunteers, recently gathered at Camp Squeah for the ninth annual Camp Skylark Bereavement Camp for children hosted by the Fraser Canyon Hospice Society.
The camp, which took place Sept. 13-15, brought together children and adults who have all experienced the loss of a loved one. Throughout the weekend, they got to work through their grief in a variety of sessions. Music therapy provided campers with the opportunity to express their feelings through music, lantern making let them express their feelings through art, and memory circles helped them share memories of their loved ones in a safe and supportive environment.
Campers also got to participate in lots of traditional camp activities throughout the weekend including rock climbing, low ropes, archery, hiking, campfires, and a scavenger hunt. Thanks to the generous support of Hope-Sicle, campers were also treated to an ice cream snack on the Saturday afternoon.
That evening, campers participated in a lantern ceremony to commemorate their lost loved ones. During this ceremony, they were able to participate in traditional First Nation drumming with the assistance of Darcy Pelletier and Nikki Lamarre from the Trails Crossing Friendship Centre.
Camp Skylark is offered to families free of charge.
For more information about the camp, or if you are interested in sponsoring a child to go to camp, contact hospice coordinator Ashleigh Erwin at 604-860-7713.