No Summer Camp in 2020. Time for a Pity Party.

Hi everyone, Yvonne Heath here with love your life to death.
It's the middle of May and I am having a pity party.

We have been going through this pandemic for weeks and weeks,
we've been supporting each other, fueling the positive when we're struggling and knowing that everyone is is having a different
experience in this. And there was one thing that I know thousands
and thousands of people were holding on to, they were holding on to
the hope that summer camp would still be going on. We have just learned, we were just crossing our fingers, and we have learned that summer overnight summer camp is not going to happen.

 I am grieving and so are my kids and my husband. For those who have never gone to summer camp, you might not know why it's such a big deal. My husband went to camp for over 10 years at Camp Can-Aqua and his sister did but I didn't understand it until I became the camp nurse for
five years in session at Can-Aqua.

I fell in love with camp. I carved a little eagle. I was the fun
"Patch Adams" camp nurse and I had kids sign a T shirt. These kids
just loved me and I love them back. I learned what camp really is to
so many people. For kids in the city, it might be the, the only time
that they really truly connect with nature for others who are bullied at school it's their safe haven or those who feel so much pressure from school or even their home life might not be great, or even just that opportunity to forget about makeup to wear socks and sandals to
connect with kids around the world and just to have good clean fun.

These kids are learning leadership skills as they go along and as they become campers then counselors and and head staff. It is the greatest learning for life, and knowing how fun it really can be just just having
a great time together. They all just connect. In Ontario alone over
35,000 kids who will not be able to work at Camp. That's what they
were counting on this summer for a job.

And let's be honest for parents. Oh my gosh, my kids home all summer when they were going to be going to camp. What are we going to do? I think that we need to take this pause to acknowledge and allow our feelings have a little bit of a pity party!

Just sit with this for right now. If you didn't understand about camp
and somebody's really upset, ask why did why did camp mean so
much to you and just listen without judgment, allow their feelings.
Camp is a magical place for so many people. I am sending so much
love to every kid who wanted to go to camp everyone who was going
to go to camp and just is so deeply disappointed the staff the
directors and all parents, we will get through this.

It is really disappointing right now so let's acknowledge and allow
those feelings, stay connected with people you were going to go to
camp with. Stay connected through the year and let's all look forward
to Camp 2021. I am sending love to everybody. We can do this together. Let's keep supporting one another. 


 To learn more about our
Get Ready for Grief
online program
click here

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