Camp Firefly 2018 Reaches Out For Grieving Children

MOORESTOWN, NJ — This summer, Moorestown Visiting Nurse Association will present Camp Firefly for grieving children at Camp Ockanickon, Medford NJ. This weekend-long overnight camp will begin on the morning of Saturday, August 25, and conclude on Sunday, August 26, 2018.

The overnight camp is free, and open to Burlington, Camden and Gloucester county children ages 7-14 who have lost a parent, sibling or any special person through death and are seeking support to help cope with grief.

Campers spend the weekend in a caring, nurturing environment with The Hospice of Moorestown VNA’s team of grief professionals and volunteer counselors, as well as peers who have experienced a similar loss. Traditional camp activities such as swimming, canoeing, hiking, arts & crafts and cookouts are combined with specialized bereavement activities designed to help the children overcome their grief and to cope with the loss of their loved one. The campers also enjoy spending some time with therapeutic dogs, who come to the camp with the Tri-State K-9 Crisis Response Team. In one particularly intense and moving activity, the children design and build small boats containing mementos of their loved one. After dark, these boats are individually candle-lit and launched from the shores of the campsite’s lake.

2018 marks the 13^th year of Camp Firefly. To date, more than 500 local children have benefited from attending the camp. Applications to attend in 2018 are currently being accepted. Additionally, volunteer counselors ages 18 and up are being sought to assist during the camp. Adult volunteer counselors will stay at Camp Ockanickon during the entire weekend and will participate in all activities with an assigned group of children. Junior counselors, ages 16-20 are also being sought to help out on-site during the camp. Younger volunteers, ages 14 and up, may choose to support bereaved children by working in the offices of Moorestown VNA, helping with a fundraising bake sale or preparing materials for the camp weekend. Appropriate training will be provided for all volunteers. Those interested should call the Volunteer Department, at (856) 552-1300, extension 2165.

Camp Firefly provides a place to remember lost loved ones, and a place to heal. The camp is funded through generous donations from the community. This year’s major donors include: The Beneficial Bank Foundation, Finish Line Youth Foundation, and the Burlington County Funeral Directors Association. For an application and complete information about attending Camp Firefly, or other available bereavement support services, contact Moorestown Visiting Nurse Association.

Founded in 1904, Moorestown Visiting Nurse Association is a non-profit organization that provides homecare, hospice, counseling and wellness services to families in Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties. To learn more call (856) 552-1300, email: services@moorestownvna.org, or visit the organization online at www.moorestownvna.org or facebook/moorestownvna.