Camp Brave Heart
What is Camp Brave Heart?
Camp Brave Heart is an annual weekend camp for children living in Polk, Hardee, and Highlands counties, ages 6 to 16, who experienced the death of a loved one.
Allowing children to share their feelings of loss with others, camp is offered to not only hospice families but any child who has lost a loved one. Over three days children engage in experiences that will combine healing with fun, letting children know that life still has a lot to offer.
Why Camp Brave Heart?
The death of a parent or loved one is life-changing and children aren’t always equipped with the necessary skills to cope with the difficult emotions of grief.
Camp Brave Heart has been developed specifically with the needs of grieving children in mind. Activities at camp teach coping mechanisms so they can deal with their grief through interactive games, campfires, horseback riding, team sports, canoeing, letter-writing, and art activities.
Camp Brave Heart
All children need to be surrounded by love, especially those who have recently experienced the death of a loved one. Chapters Health System recognizes the special needs of these children and created our annual camps for them. We are always looking for camp volunteers to assist with these multi-day sleepover retreats for children.
Held at cabin retreat locations in beautifully wooded Florida locations, hospice staff members and dedicated volunteers are assigned to age-categorized cabins to chaperone and assist with group discussions and provide support. All camp staff members, including volunteers, undergo background checks and receive comprehensive training prior to the weekend camp.
Anyone that volunteers at camp comes away from the weekend with a total sense of accomplishment for the supportive healing provided to campers. Attendees participate in traditional camp activities such as swimming, arts and crafts, and team sports. However, there are specific exercises built into the weekend, which help the campers cope with grief and rebuild trust and self-awareness. In 2018, Good Shepherd Hospice had an astounding 107 children who were able to benefit from Camp Brave Heart. We look forward to being able to hold this event again and see the lives of countless more children changed.
To become a volunteer at one of our grief camps for children and teens, simply complete the online volunteer application, and a Chapters Health volunteer coordinator will contact you. For more information, contact Volunteer Services at 1-863-551-3943 in Polk, Highlands, or Hardee counties for Good Shepherd Hospice.