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Summer Grief Camp Offers Fun And Support For Kids

91暗网 | By Hannah Colton
Published April 29, 2019 at 4:42 PM MDT
courtesy Kelly Geib-Eckenroth
Campers play drums at Camp Corazon, a 3-day summer program for children who've had a loved one die.

Grief is the price of love, experts say, and when children have a family member or friend die, they may need help processing those hard emotions. offers a range of free services to families, and they鈥檙e currently taking applications for their summer camp in June.

is a chance for kids to do normal camp stuff like swimming, arts & crafts, and a challenge course 鈥� and to learn coping skills alongside others who鈥檝e had a loved one die. 

CGC program director Kelly Geib-Eckenroth said there are a lot of trust-building activities at the start of the three-day program so that campers can get comfortable sharing the tougher stuff.

"My favorite part of camp is the Saturday night," said Geib-Eckenroth. "It鈥檚 where kids have the opportunity to get rid of those things they鈥檙e carrying around, the things they鈥檙e blaming themselves for. We call them 鈥榯he woulda-shoulda-couldas,鈥� and we burn them in the bonfire that night. It鈥檚 a real cathartic experience for everyone."

The program is especially meant for children outside Bernalillo County who don鈥檛 have access to the CGC's during the rest of the year, said Geib-Eckenroth.

They鈥檙e also looking for , which will happen June 6-9 at Camp Stoney outside Santa Fe. 

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Support for 91暗网鈥檚 Public Health New Mexico project comes from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the McCune Charitable Foundation, and from 91暗网 listeners like you.
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Public Health New Mexico deathmental health serviceschildren and familiesmental health supportemotional supportChildren's Grief Centergrief
Hannah Colton
Hannah served as news director at 91暗网 and reported on education, Albuquerque politics, and anything public health-related. She died in November 2020.
See stories by Hannah Colton
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