The lighthouse, which serves as a symbol of safety for sailors navigating dark waters, will act as a beacon of hope for grieving families at a local camp this weekend.
Camp Lighthouse opens its doors Saturday to children, teens and parents suffering from the recent death of a loved one.
Although organized by Sentara Hospice, the camp is open to anyone — starting at kindergarten age and including grandparents and other caregivers — who has lost a family member or close friend within the past two years.
Kim Flemming, a medical social worker for Sentara Greater Peninsula Hospice, hopes campers will leave with a sense of hope and comfort knowing they are not alone in their anguish.
In addition to sharing their experiences with attendees during the two-day camp at the Jamestown 4-H Educational Center, Camp Lighthouse is designed to provide the tools to help them along their grief journey after sessions have ended.
Without many other programs like it locally — EDMARC Hospice for Children has a camp in Surry, Sentara presents another Camp Lighthouse in Chesapeake and Bon Secours Hampton Roads holds Mikey’s Camp in Lanexa — Flemming sees Camp Lighthouse as an integral aspect of the healing process.
For children particularly, who may not be actively involved with arrangements after a death, she said the program is empowering.
“You’re taking some really hard work that needs to be done about a subject that no one really wants to talk about, and you’re intertwining it with tears and laughter, and that is a really healthy way to cope with grief,” Flemming said.
Trained community volunteers power the activities of the camp, which include large group events like the opening fair with barbecue lunch and carnival-style games, and Sunday’s celebration of life service and eco-friendly balloon release.
Campers also spend more intimate time with cabin-mates, who are grouped by age. They might take to the outdoors doing archery — for older children — or a ropes course, or settle down to create memory boxes, read a story aloud or experience pet therapy.
Unlike a clinical environment, Flemming said Camp Lighthouse teaches the bereaved they are not isolated, and gives them positive strategies, like journaling or expressing feelings through music, to work through emotions.
“This is a peer-to- peer support model. This is a very specific way of helping people develop coping skills. They learn from one another,” she said. Flemming added if families demonstrate a need for further clinical intervention, staff will help connection them with services in the community.
Flemming said Camp Lighthouse is special in that it works with the whole family, not just youngsters, to promote healthy practices.
Adults spend the first day learning where they stand in the grief process. The second day is devoted to understanding where their children are and how to help guide them.
“If the adults that are involved in their lives haven’t moved any forward in their grieving process, it’s not going to be very helpful for the children,” Flemming said. “So we’ve made a really strong effort over the last few years to involve the whole family, whatever that looks like.”
She has seen them arrive — a mother, a father and a child in pain. When they leave, they tell Flemming they do so as a family.
Registration is open now for this weekend’s Camp Lighthouse. The cost is $20 per camper, and financial assistance is available for those in need.
Click here to learn more about Camp Lighthouse and for a registration form.
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