Accord Hospice held their second annual Camp SOAR Saturday, Sept. 28 in Junction City. Since the first one was successful, Accord partnered with the Elks Lodge #1037 to provide two additional mini camps this year. Those day camps are for children ages 5-16 suffering from some type of loss. They can range from the death of a loved one to a divorce of one’s parents.
“The focus of our camp is sharing memories, trying new things, and learning we are never alone in our grief,” said Camp Director Crystal Butler.
More than 26 children and 25 experienced community volunteers descended on the 12th Street Community Center for an entire Saturday. They participated in arts & crafts, sports, games, face painting, storytelling, martial arts instruction, and other activities aimed at providing support, healing and building memories. The campers enjoyed a demonstration by Fort Riley’s 523 Military Working Dogs Detachment and Elite Academy of Martial Arts. The Junction City J-Steppers Dance Team offered dance instruction for the campers and the D.A. R. E. program educated campers regarding drug abuse resistance. The camp is designed to give children and volunteers the opportunity to share feelings, make new friends and build trust.
Diedra Kearney, Chief Operating Officer of Accord Hospice, stated that the camp had been a long standing goal of the agency, which has been serving the community since 2014, providing Hospice care, Palliative support and Bereavement resources to more than 300 families in that time.
Research suggests grieving children are at a much greater risk than their peers for depression, suicide, poverty and substance abuse. Butler explained, “Our vision is to provide children access to grief and loss support in an environment where they are encouraged to and allowed to feel like kids. Sometimes, just knowing that they are not alone helps children cope with their grief.”
Accord Hospice thanked their sponsors for their support, including Junction City Elks Lodge #1037, Valley View Senior Life, Home of the Flint Hills, Screen Machine Sports, Johnson Funeral Home, Junction City Transportation, Schoenrock Realtors, Baskin Robbins, The Tony Nardella Family, and the city of Junction City.
