Camp Healing Hearts expands to two-night event this May

Camp Healing Hearts expands to two-night event this May

Gathering to help grieving Arkansas children, families reflect, reconnect and

rediscover

www.arns.org LITTLE ROCK — Because of overwhelming feedback from campers, Camp Healing Hearts is expanding from an overnight camp to a weekend event for Arkansas children and families struggling with grief. Coordinated by Kaleidoscope Grief Center, which is a program of Methodist Family Health, Camp Healing Hearts is FREE to families attending and will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 17 and end at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 19 at Camp Aldersgate in Little Rock. This camp is open to any family in Arkansas who is grieving a loss.

Losing a loved one is difficult for everyone, and grieving that loss is essential to accepting painful feelings and creating an opportunity for growth and a new sense of normal. Camp Healing Hearts is for Arkansas children ages 5 to 18 and their families who have lost a loved one and are coping with grief and bereavement. Utilizing both therapy and recreation, Camp Healing Hearts offers children and families an opportunity to discover their own inner strength.

The camp includes heartto- heart time, swimming, fishing, crafts, games, campfires and s’mores, a challenge course and much more. An adult caregiver is required to accompany the grieving child or children attending camp. Only 100 spaces are available to those interested in attending are encouraged to complete and return an application prior to the deadline, which is Monday, May 6, 2019.

Camp Healing Hearts is made possible by community partners in the Alliance for Grief and Loss, including Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock School District, Pulaski County Special School District, Griffin-Leggett Funeral Homes, Delta Society and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

For an application, visit MethodistFamily.org. For more information about Camp Healing Hearts or Kaleidoscope Grief Center, contact Dao Ward at dward@methodistfamily.or g or call 501-537-3991 or 800-756-3709 toll-free.

Kaleidoscope Grief Center serves grieving children, teens and their families throughout Arkansas. Grief can be an isolating experience for children. We help those dealing with loss and bereavement through education, therapeutic and recreational services, grief support programs, counseling and Camp Healing Hearts.

Founded in 1899 as the Arkansas Methodist Orphanage, Methodist Family Health is celebrating 120 years of rebuilding the lives of Arkansas children and families. Our mission is to give the best possible care to those who may need our help. Our continuum of care serves thousands of Arkansas children with psychiatric, behavioral, emotional and spiritual issues and their families each year. Methodist Family Health has locations throughout the state, including the Methodist Behavioral Hospital, two residential treatment centers, seven therapeutic group homes, an emergency shelter, a day treatment program, eight counseling clinics, nine school-based counseling clinics, a grief center for children and their families, and the Arkansas Center for Addictions Research, Education and Services (Arkansas CARES).

From the Arkansas News Service