Camp Angel Wings Lifts Local Children from Depths of Grief
“But I had to find those kids,” Taylor said.
A registered nurse, currently working on contract at St. Luke’s Hospital, Taylor did her homework to help her children deal with the loss.
“I learned kids want to get back to their normal routine right away,” Taylor said. “They want to be with their friends. They want to go to school and play again.”
Taylor picked up a copy of the Southcoast Wellness Calendar and learned about the children’s bereavement support group and Camp Angel Wings — both offered by Southcoast Home Care & Hospice. She contacted Deanna Upchurch, Bereavement Coordinator for the organization, and immediately knew she had found what she needed to help her children.
“I met Deanna and she was just amazing,” Taylor said. “I knew I could trust my kids to her. I got them both in the bereavement group right away.”
Aryanna, 10, and her brother, Cody Finnerty, 12, first attended Camp Angel Wings in 2004 and have been involved ever since.
“Camp was fun and I liked being with kids who were like me,” said Aryanna. “It made me feel better.”
“I really liked it,” said Cody. “We got to do a lot of fun things and talk to kids who were like us.”
Children participate in a wide range of activities including arts and crafts, drumming, archery and swimming.
“Camp Angel Wings activities can counter a sense of isolation that children can feel after losing a loved one,” Upchurch said. “Participating in activities with other children who have also suffered a loss can help a child explore their grief and encourages them to try new or familiar activities that build self-esteem.”
“When I picked them up after the first day of camp, they told me that they had met kids who were just like them,” Taylor said. “I could tell they felt better — and that’s what really mattered.”
Camp Angel Wings, offered in collaboration with the Mattapoisett YMCA, will take place on Saturday and Sunday, July 29 and 30 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
