2020 Camp Spirit Song
August 9, 2020 - August 14, 2020
Register: Download the Camp Spirit Song application here.
Founded in 2019, Camp Spirit Song is a weeklong, residential camp at The Claggett Center, serving children grades 4-8 who are affected by a parent or loved one’s opioid addiction. Camp Spirit Song is offered in partnership with the SpiritWorks Foundation based in Williamsburg, Virginia and the Province III Opioid Task Force. The first camp of its kind on the East Coast, Camp Spirit Song offers campers the opportunity to lay aside the burdens of home and thrive in a community built on honesty and unconditional love. 2020 will be the second year of Camp Spirit Song.
Camp provides children grades 4-8 with an opportunity to meet God through:
● the support of a Christian community
● fellowship with peers who share a common experience
● time to rest and play away from the distractions of everyday life
Description
Summer camp can be life changing for any child: a place to develop independence, explore the outdoors, and build new relationships in a grounded and loving community. For campers at Camp Spirit Song, all the fun and faith of Claggett’s traditional camps are combined with daily group sessions where campers can safely ask questions about addiction and process their own experience. Using a curriculum developed by the US Department of Health and Human Services, recovery professionals at Camp Spirit Song lead children in group sessions where they can speak openly about addiction, without fear of stigma or punishment.
Children of addicted parents can often feel left out of the conversation--absorbing the stress of their loved one’s illness while suffering from the stigma addiction still carries, children may not feel safe talking about their parent’s addiction with peers. Camp Spirit Song is a place where healing can begin through simply naming the pain that campers have experienced: at camp, no camper has to carry a secret. Each person is loved and affirmed just as they are, and given space and support to grow.
Fees
Camp is offered at no cost to campers or their families: through generous donations, no child is turned away due to financial need.
Testimonials
"Our work with children and youth is designed to help break the intergenerational cycle of addiction in families. Programs like Camp Spirit Song, help children and youth build resilience,” -- the Rev. Jan M. Brown, Founding/Executive Director of SpiritWorks Foundation.
“[Our camper] loved the camp and it was like we saw a spark within her that we haven't seen in a long time...She was glad it was a small group as they all got so close, kids and counselors. She had so much fun and is ready for next year. The camp was an answer to prayer for us."--Camp Spirit Song camper's grandparent
Register: Download the Camp Spirit Song application here.
Volunteer & Contribute
To learn more about Camp Spirit Song and volunteer opportunities, contact Rita Yoe, Program Coordinator at the Claggett Center: (301) 874-5147
; ryoe@claggettcenter.org.
It is our mission to offer Camp Spirit Song at no cost to campers’ families. You can help make camp a reality for 40 campers this year by sponsoring a camper. $1,000 covers the cost of one camper, including room and board, program materials, and staff fees. Individuals, parishes, and dioceses may donate directly toward camper sponsorship. To make or pledge a contribution toward Camp Spirit Song, contact Lisa Marie Ryder, Co-Executive Director of the Claggett Center:
(301) 874-5147;
lmryder@claggettcenter.org.
