Laying a Pathway Forward at Camp Francis
When art teacher Tim Medved lost his childhood best friend at age 8 and then his grandfather shortly after, he found solace in drawing.
“Art is amazing therapy,” he said. “You can get lost in the process as you focus on what you’re doing and find yourself.”
Benefis Peace Hospice’s beloved Camp Francis marked 31 years in 2024 of providing a sanctuary for children who have lost a loved one. Tim helped campers honor their loved ones and explore self-care by making ceramic tiles that will be used to decorate a gazebo with a wind phone planned for Benefis Peace Hospice.
Read more: Wind Phone Aims to Honor Dad, Comfort the Grieving
Camp Director Kathy Van Tighem called the tiles a “gift for the community.”
“We want all of the strength and courage and bravery you show at camp to surround the people who walk into the booth like a hug,” she told campers. “Your spirit is there to support them in what they are doing.”
Other volunteers shared stories of honoring their loved ones and working through their grief in sewing, painting, poetry, drama, songwriting, and sketching.
David Leonardelli, who lost his sister to a flash flood 28 years ago, said he still thinks about her often. His parents worried about him isolating himself in his room, but then he emerged with a gift for them, a portrait of Jenny and what she cared about.
“Art is a way to talk about your loved one,” he said. “Sometimes the words don’t come, but the images do.”
As she shaped clay into a tile, Valyn Brownlee thought of the father she lost when she was 3. This was her fourth and final summer as a camper now that she’s 12. She hopes to return as a teen volunteer.
“Camp gave me ways to cope with my grief and taught me it was OK to cry,” she said.
Valyn’s sister Ryleigh added that she especially loves the ceremonies at camp as they help her get her emotions out and understand what she’s feeling.
If you know a child who could benefit from bereavement services, please click here to learn more.
