Next Summer, Same Time, Same Place!

Sarah Scott, Grief Specialist/Spiritual Advisor

Did you know that you came with me to Summer Camp this year?

Well, you might not remember the journey, but you did indeed come along with me as I served for a week at Brigadoon Village to support “Camp Solace” which is their camp for children and teens aged 9-18 who are experiencing grief because of death of a loved one.

Did you felt a goodness and kindness in the air around you, but was unsure where it was coming from?

You were present lakeside as we met and talked.  You were present fireside as we laughed and sang.  You were present at our “Cairn Ceremony” where our campers spoke the name of their loved one and a core memory before placing their rock on our Cairn.  You might not have known it, but you were there- in fact I brought you all to camp in the trunk of my car!

But how did YOU come to camp with me? 

As I sat on the shaded dock waiting for my first group, mostly 12 year olds, to come running down the ramp for our morning session, I looked around at all the resources that I had laid out for the work of the day.  And I saw all of you!

I held one book, “One Wave at a Time; a story of Grief and Healing” that was bought by one of you in our “Adopt-a-Book Campaign” and laid it out ready to read it as they sat on the edge of the lake.

I picked up the Activity Booklet that the Valley Hospice Foundation printed this year at our local printshop. I rolled over the soccer ball that was made to be a part of our Kids Grief Kits and that was first shared at our Hike for Hospice table.

All around me were workbooks that you folks supplied and resourced.   In my older group, mostly 17 year olds, we used the art cards found in “The Grief Deck”, that were funded by you, to lay out powerful artistic images they chose to best represent their feelings and experiences.

In the evenings, I’d go down to the medical center and I’d see on the coffee table the “Mini Grief Library” that was set up for kids (and staff!) to look through. Your fingerprints were all over this week!

Facilitating small groups is where I spent the most of my time and energy at Brigadoon.  My regular positions with Valley Hospice Foundation as a Grief Subject Matter Expert, and my role with Valley Hospice supporting Spiritual Health, both offered their partnership in allowing me space from my regular duties to be able to attend Camp Solace as a part of the Brigadoon Mental Health Support Team.

Oh, you were all around me in those small groups!!!

It was such a gift to have that space to be able to attend again this year.  The small groups created such a trusted bond among the campers as they realized the connections their stories shared.  Most importantly to me, was seeing them come to a deep understanding at the end of the week- that they are not alone.  That even though their grief is unique, and is sometimes overwhelming, that others are with them and supporting them.

Your love, commitment, and belief in caring for those who grieve- journeyed with me and was shared with those young people.   You might never fully know the impact of your generosity of care to these young people, but hopefully, this next generation received that awareness that we all belong to each other.   And that we are all, indeed, simply walking each other home.

Many thanks for your generosity and continued support and thank you for coming to camp with me!

Much love, Sarah Scott

Brigadoon Village, supported by many community partners, is an organization that delivers year-round camp programming to children, youth, and families living with health conditions or other life challenges in Atlantic Canada.

Their Camp Solace, (formally Camp Kedoopsie) offers an opportunity for our grieving young people like no other.  It gives them opportunity to be with other grieving kids in a supportive environment to be able to reflect, express and move through their grief in a place that fosters adventure, connection, and most importantly fun!  The majority of the day is spent in traditional camp programming- all the good stuff!  Canoeing, High Ropes, Swimming, Art, Drama, Music, and Outdoor Cooking.  In addition, each morning, Solace campers meet together in small groups based on their age and often type of loss, to reflect on how their grief impacts them, how they have experienced the world since the loss, and exploring ways to maintain enduring connection going into the year ahead.