Community News

     Camp Rainbow of Hope is a bereavement program to help children ages 8-12 cope with the death of a loved one. It has been held every year for the past 12 years at Camp Hollis and serves 30 children each year.

     Friends of Oswego County Hospice executive director, Debbie Bishop, explained "the purpose of the camp is for these children to be able to talk to each other about their grief and how they cope with it."
     The campers take part in traditional camp activities such as swimming and hiking, but one unique thing they participate in is something called a healing circle. The campers will gather in a circle, usually while doing an arts and crafts activity, and they talk to one another about their losses. Bishop stressed that the camp is not a therapy camp, so one way they get the kids to talk to one another is through these circles.
     "The healing circles are really a way to get kids to talk about their feelings to one another, whether they be anger, sadness, or confusion," she said. "It helps the kids understand that they are not alone."
     Another helpful form of support the camp offers for the grieving children is pairing each of the new campers with a "big buddy." The big buddy is a lot of times an older teen who was a camper once as well. The buddies are a sort of camp counselor and are there to provide support and to make sure the campers have a fun experience.
     The camp, which is not-for-profit and staffed entirely by volunteers, is free for the children. Fundraisers such as the Hospice Regatta, grants and funding by Friends of Oswego County Hospice, the Oswego City-County Youth Bureau and Parks & Recreation help support the camp.
Camp Rainbow of Hope will be in session Aug. 19-21. For more information or to fill out a camper or volunteer application, go to www.friendsofhospice.org and click on the Camp Rainbow link.