Twenty-three years of healing at Montana grief camp
courtesy photo
Grief Camp Director, Tina Barrett, receives a bear hug from teen leader, Jakob Beich. Beich has attended A Camp to Remember since 2009 following the death of his father. Barrett founded A Camp to Remember in 1997.
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Once again, a small camp on the shores of Flathead Lake will be transformed into a space for grief, hope and healing.
For over 20 years, A Camp to Remember has provided bereaved youth with opportunities to have fun, to honor and remember and to be with understanding others. Bringing together over 50 campers from across Montana, ACTR is a four-day overnight grief camp for youth ages 7-18 who have experienced the death of a family member or loved one.
The camp is hosted by Tamarack Grief Resource Center, the only year-round, comprehensive grief center in Montana. With offices in Missoula, Kalispell and Browning, TGRC strengthens and honors individuals, families and communities throughout their journey with grief.
Cultivating a place for honoring and remembering is at the heart of ACTR. In order to foster a culture inclusive of all responses to grief, campers have time to express themselves through symbolic, physical, narrative and creative outlets. Each day is designed around arts and crafts, games and quiet time, culminating in songs around a lakeside campfire.
The power of camp extends far beyond the week at Flathead Lake. Every camper leaves with a homemade quilt as a reminder that there are many people who care. Follow-up pictures, letters and reunions solidify the connections made and strength gained at camp.
All campers are welcome regardless of ability to pay. The full fee is $500 for food, lodging, T-shirts and supplies. Over 80 percent of campers have requested scholarships to cover camp fees. With hundreds of volunteer hours and a staff working tirelessly to raise funds, TGRC is committed to keeping costs at a minimum and underwriting any camper in need. Gifts from the community are greatly appreciated to help continue this work.
The magic of ACTR is best summed up by a camper’s own words: “The most inspiring thing that Tamarack has shown me is that ‘grief ends a life, not a relationship’. When I first went to camp, I was scared because I had only lost my mother to suicide five months prior, but by the end of the week I had learned that even though grief sucks, it is going to be okay.”
A Camp to Remember grief camp will be held Aug. 19-22. Tamarack Grief Resource Center can be found at 405 S. 1st Street W., Missoula, MT 59801, by phone at (406) 541-8472 or email at info@tamarackgriefresourcecenter.org. The website is www.tamarackgriefresourcecenter.org.
