IFN Staff
Four boys sat around a table, talking about life, death and the grief that follows with a wisdom that is breathtaking for their young age.
They agreed that the hardest part of losing a loved one is realizing they’ve died and going through the funeral.
“But the other hardest part,” said Tony, 9, “is realizing they won’t be part of your future.”
The other three boys — Titus, Weston and Kingston — all nodded.
Then Weston, 9, shared part of his grief journey following the recent and sudden loss of his dad.
“But also I have my memories, and I know he’s still with me,” he said.
That kind of friendship, support and understanding is evident among the 100 children who participated in Camp Rainbow over the past two weeks, learning healthy coping skills and the importance of working through their grief.
“I learned it’s okay to have my memories and talk about them, and it’s okay to talk about my dad,” Weston said.
“And I learned I’m not the only one with a loss,” Tony added.
This summer, of the 100 children served, 60 were grieving the loss of a parent or sibling. The camp, which is operated by the Rainbow Kidz Pediatric Grief Counseling Program, holds two week-long sessions, one for middle and high school and one for elementary school.
On Friday morning, campers were hanging out of car windows and sun roofs as they pulled up to camp at the First ARP Boy Scout outdoor facility. Faces were filled with wonder as they saw a fully inflated hot air balloon tethered in the field, thanks to Carolina BalloonFest, Patrick Grogan, Kristie Darling and Pressly Mattox.
That was just one of many community contributions to Camp Rainbow, said Rainbow Kidz Director Leigh Ann Darty.
In total, more than 55 volunteers and 35 special guests lent their time and talents to the camp, she said, as well as a host of donors who helped ensure there was no charge for children to attend. Special activities included yoga, mindfulness, karate, fitness, equine therapy, a visit from Rescue Ranch, a trip to the Statesville Leisure Pool and musical guests.
Each morning, Darty and her team of social workers — Meredith Fleming, Michele Smith and Maria Ramon — met with volunteers and reminded them of the huge impact they have on the grieving children in attendance.
“Our team is committed to bringing out the light in you, and we want you to feel safe, supported and loved,” Darty told the volunteers. “In turn, you can then share this light with our children so that they feel safe supported and loved.”
The connection between the campers and counselors can be a powerful one.
Anna, who is in the second grade, lost her mother and was struggling with her grief throughout the week. In addition, she spoke little English. Ramon was able to bridge the language barrier and both offer comfort and connect her with Amabella, a fifth-grader who lost her father.
Those relationships are a huge part of the Camp Rainbow mission that no child ever have to grieve alone.
“Anna had been crying, missing her mom, but with Amabella and Maria, magic happened,” Darty said. “Our mantra is shared throughout the day — ‘I am here for you’ — so that no one feels alone in their grief journey.”
LEARN MORE
To learn more about Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County’s Rainbow Kidz program, visit https://www.hoic.org/Rainbow-Kidz
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