Riding the Waves

By Claire Orwig – Solace House Counselor

As a new therapist at Solace House Center for Grief & Healing, I wasn’t sure what to expect entering into my first Camp Erin weekend. Camp Erin is the largest national bereavement program for youth grieving the death of a significant person in their lives. Children and teens ages six to 17 attend a transformational weekend camp, combining traditional, fun camp activities with grief education and emotional support.

The phrase “family grief camp” didn’t seem to match the upbeat words I was hearing in planning meetings, or the excited energy my fellow Solace House team members displayed in our preparatory conversations. However, it took very little time, as families started arriving for check-in at the Margaritaville Resort – our HQ/accomodations for the event – on Friday afternoon, for me to see what the hype was all about. 

How It Started

Families were welcomed with warm smiles and supportive guidance by our team in Camp Erin blue.  

After check-in, the first stop was a big family-style pizza buffet. Planning this meal as the first activity created a sense of community from the get-go. As families finished their meals, they were directed to the Opening Ceremony, where Dr. Iman Williams Christians, Director of Grief Programs, officially kicked off camp and introduced our theme – Riding the Waves of Grief. 

Families were invited to listen to a story, attune to their own intentions for the weekend, and everyone was treated to a build-your-own stuffed animal station, a huge hit for kids and parents! 

After the ceremony finished, families made their way into the resort to enjoy their own versions of down-time. 

The Animal Effect

On Saturday morning, I made my way to TimberRidge Adventure Center where a full day of activities was slated for the kids.  

Our campers were bussed from the resort, while their parents stayed behind for adult grief education and group activities. Stacey Davis, a fellow counselor and Grief Support Specialist at Solace House, and I were paired to lead the Starfish group, our youngest campers. 

We were also gifted two incredible volunteers, Lucy and Leilani, who helped tremendously and quickly connected with our campers. We gathered our group, made introductions, and found our way through the beautiful trails to a petting zoo! The kids were delighted by the wide array of animals. Those included expected ones like a big bunny, a tiny pig, and two ponies…and also unexpected ones: like a crocodile and a wallaby! 

Starting the day with big surprises set an energetic and hopeful tone for our time together. 

The Power of Music

After the petting zoo, we enjoyed a music class with a licensed music therapist. She was a wonderful addition, and allowed each kiddo to express themselves creatively and uniquely with a variety of instruments. 

After music was our lunch break, followed by art therapy. 

Stacey read a book about the waves of grief, emotional expression, and color-emotion associations. The kids filled jars with brightly colored sand to represent their person, and how it feels to miss them. Our sweet, young campers each took turns showing off their beautiful jars as well as a picture of their person. They described their pictures and told their new friends about missing someone they love.  At ages four through six, these kiddos really took each others’ stories to heart, asking insightful questions, and discussing shared experiences. 

Bring on The Fish

For our last activity, we made our way to the dock to feed the fish. Upon arriving at the dock, Stacey and I learned our group was in fact deemed “old enough” to do some real fishing! Our campers were so happy to hear this, and a renewed enthusiasm took hold as we geared up. Some of our Starfish had never been fishing before. The novelty stayed strong for the full hour of casting, reeling, and constantly re-baiting hooks with truly disgusting hot dog bits! The bait didn’t bother any of our kids, they were just so eager to catch a fish. 

And catch they did! 

One of our campers, and first time fisherman, caught three or four fish in less than an hour. His ear-to-ear smile said it all, and while the other kiddos were not as lucky, they rallied around him with every catch and were incredibly intrigued to see the fish out of water and up close.  

After fishing, we made our way back to the main shelter to gather up all our belongings and load the bus. 

Our campers left with their beautiful artwork and lots of stories to share with their families back at the resort. The day was simply wonderful. 

Each kiddo made a lasting impression on me with their sweet curiosity and energetic outlook. Knowing how much pain and loss their families have experienced made their giggles, smiles, and silliness so much more than-childlike; they were also signs of inherent resilience and enduring spirit. The juxtaposition of such enormous concepts wrapped up in such small and precious people was truly moving. 

Camp Erin 2026 was an event to remember, an absolute treasure, and I’m so grateful for the experience.