Class Project, Work in Progress
2017 Portland Camp ERIN
History of Camp Erin
Camp Erin is a tribute to Erin Metcalf, who was a Providence Hospice patient and passed away of liver cancer at 17 years old. She was able to meet the Seattle Mariners baseball team through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and formed a special bond with pitcher Jamie Moyer and his wife Karen. During this friendship the Moyer's noticed Erin's positive outlook and sympathy for every one even through such trying times. After her death they decided that they best way to remember her was to create a camp for children who are experiencing a loss of a loved one can come to grieve with others who can relate.
The first camp was held in the Seattle, WA area in 2002. Now, the camp has grown nationwide, with at least one location in every state, as well as Canada.
About The Camp
Camp Erin in offered to ages 6 to 17, completely free of charge. The purpose of this camp is to allow the grieving children to be with children who have similar feelings and experiencing similar situations. It is a safe environment where the children learn that their feelings are normal. Through many activities, children have the opportunity to explore and express feelings while memorializing their loved one. Each age group is divided into cohorts, which are named after animals, and each cohort has separate boys and girls cabins. Fun Fact! Each of the groups are named after animals that have a unique feature or characteristic that relates to the grief process.
Camp Activities
Camp Erin is a weekend camp once a summer. During the weekend campers have the chance to focus on their feelings and are able to memorialize their loved ones through different activities such as healing rituals including a memory board which takes places on the first day of camp, as well as a luminary ceremony that takes place on the last evening of camp. This also includes grief support in the form of group discussions, and "big energy" activities.
First and foremost, this is a summer camp so other activities include the traditional arts and crafts, swimming, ropes course, archery, fishing, and campfires.
My role as a "big buddy"
What is a "Big Buddy"
A Big Buddy is a volunteer that is with the campers throughout the weekend. As a Big Buddy we stay in the cabins with the campers, lead them to and from meals and the various activities, Most importantly we help to create a caring, fun, supportive, and nurturing atmosphere by being actively present for the campers and participating in the festivities. We are their friends, role models, listeners, all in all someone they can trust and have fun with.
The other roles volunteers play at camp include Cohort Assistants, Logistics, and Clinical Leads.
My Personal "Big Buddy" Role
Disclaimer: In this section I will be telling about my specific experience with my cabin, not all cabins and experiences will be the same, some of this section may include my personal opinion.
During my time volunteering at the 2017 Portland Camp Erin, I will be a Big Buddy with the Elephants, which is age range 10-11. This year, there are about 80 campers total, with a ratio of volunteers to campers being close to 1:1. Each cabin has about 5-6 campers and about 4-5 Big Buddies in the cabin, that's not including the cohort assistants or clinical leads also assigned to our specific cohort. My cabin will have 6 campers and 4 Big Buddies, with a Cohort Assistant free and willing to fill in or jump in to any activity at any time.
Elephants Cohort and Activities
As mentioned, I will be with the Elephants, boys and girls age 10-11. There are 6 girls and 6 boys in our group, with 8 Big Buddies, 2 Clinical Leads, and 1 Cohort Assistant.
Elephants relate to the grief process because they never forget their deceased loved one, they look out for each other. One of our campers even came up with a song during the "Save Your Spot" Party that embodies these characteristics.
"Elephants, Elephants we never forget,
Elephants, Elephants through thick and thick,
Elephants, Elephants we always come through,
Elephants, Elephants me and you!"
Day One
The campers arrived around 2 pm to a carnival filled with games and Popsicle with their guardians.
Once the guardians left we gathered into our first Sharing Circle to get to know each other, go over rules, and introduce the Beads of Courage. For every activity we do over the two days we receive a bead. This is also when we did a yarn activity: One person starts with a ball of yarn states who and how they lost their loved one, keeps a hold of their part of yarn then tosses it to someone else in the circle who then shares their loved ones story. At the end each camper is holding onto a part of the yarn map, symbolizing that we are all connected in some way through our losses.
After dinner we took part in the Great North Winds game. Starting in a circle, if one of the statements said relates to you, then you would run to find another spot in the circle. For example: "If you like pizza", "If you lost a parent", "If you lost your loved one to overdose". This is another activity to show that we can have commonalities in our losses, and to know that you are not alone in your loss.
A Big Buddy is a volunteer that is with the campers throughout the weekend. As a Big Buddy we stay in the cabins with the campers, lead them to and from meals and the various activities, Most importantly we help to create a caring, fun, supportive, and nurturing atmosphere by being actively present for the campers and participating in the festivities. We are their friends, role models, listeners, all in all someone they can trust and have fun with.
The other roles volunteers play at camp include Cohort Assistants, Logistics, and Clinical Leads.
My Personal "Big Buddy" Role
Disclaimer: In this section I will be telling about my specific experience with my cabin, not all cabins and experiences will be the same, some of this section may include my personal opinion.
During my time volunteering at the 2017 Portland Camp Erin, I will be a Big Buddy with the Elephants, which is age range 10-11. This year, there are about 80 campers total, with a ratio of volunteers to campers being close to 1:1. Each cabin has about 5-6 campers and about 4-5 Big Buddies in the cabin, that's not including the cohort assistants or clinical leads also assigned to our specific cohort. My cabin will have 6 campers and 4 Big Buddies, with a Cohort Assistant free and willing to fill in or jump in to any activity at any time.
Elephants Cohort and Activities
As mentioned, I will be with the Elephants, boys and girls age 10-11. There are 6 girls and 6 boys in our group, with 8 Big Buddies, 2 Clinical Leads, and 1 Cohort Assistant.
Elephants relate to the grief process because they never forget their deceased loved one, they look out for each other. One of our campers even came up with a song during the "Save Your Spot" Party that embodies these characteristics.
"Elephants, Elephants we never forget,
Elephants, Elephants through thick and thick,
Elephants, Elephants we always come through,
Elephants, Elephants me and you!"
Day One
The campers arrived around 2 pm to a carnival filled with games and Popsicle with their guardians.
Once the guardians left we gathered into our first Sharing Circle to get to know each other, go over rules, and introduce the Beads of Courage. For every activity we do over the two days we receive a bead. This is also when we did a yarn activity: One person starts with a ball of yarn states who and how they lost their loved one, keeps a hold of their part of yarn then tosses it to someone else in the circle who then shares their loved ones story. At the end each camper is holding onto a part of the yarn map, symbolizing that we are all connected in some way through our losses.
After dinner we took part in the Great North Winds game. Starting in a circle, if one of the statements said relates to you, then you would run to find another spot in the circle. For example: "If you like pizza", "If you lost a parent", "If you lost your loved one to overdose". This is another activity to show that we can have commonalities in our losses, and to know that you are not alone in your loss.
Day Two
Right after breakfast we did a whole camp activity, called Bed Head. Each cabin choosing a Big Buddy to dress up, in whatever way they want. I had the honor of being chosen to be dressed up. Many of my fellow Buddies came out in ridiculous and comical outfits. This activity was used to represent how our grief may look, whether it be "silly", "messy", or even "embarrassing".
After, the cohorts separated and went to the assigned scheduled workshop activities, which included a drumming workshop, movement with balancing exercises, hope flag crafts, and the big energy workshop which had bounce houses and an area where you could write out words that made you sad or angry in chalk and throw wet sponges at them. All of these activities include various ways to express emotion, others like the movement and big energy also helped to release energy the campers had.
Once the workshops were done we came back to a sharing circle. This circle as well as the very first one on day one were the most meaningful to me. In this time we discussed which activity we liked the most, and also which one our lost loved one would have enjoyed, and which one they would have enjoyed seeing us do. It was a chance to bring it back to our loved one and remember them.
The second evening was the luminary ceremony. This is a chance to again remember our loved one, but also a chance to say a goodbye, or just to send them what you would want to say.
Right after breakfast we did a whole camp activity, called Bed Head. Each cabin choosing a Big Buddy to dress up, in whatever way they want. I had the honor of being chosen to be dressed up. Many of my fellow Buddies came out in ridiculous and comical outfits. This activity was used to represent how our grief may look, whether it be "silly", "messy", or even "embarrassing".
After, the cohorts separated and went to the assigned scheduled workshop activities, which included a drumming workshop, movement with balancing exercises, hope flag crafts, and the big energy workshop which had bounce houses and an area where you could write out words that made you sad or angry in chalk and throw wet sponges at them. All of these activities include various ways to express emotion, others like the movement and big energy also helped to release energy the campers had.
Once the workshops were done we came back to a sharing circle. This circle as well as the very first one on day one were the most meaningful to me. In this time we discussed which activity we liked the most, and also which one our lost loved one would have enjoyed, and which one they would have enjoyed seeing us do. It was a chance to bring it back to our loved one and remember them.
The second evening was the luminary ceremony. This is a chance to again remember our loved one, but also a chance to say a goodbye, or just to send them what you would want to say.
Reflection