2007 Good Grief Camp Mentor Registration Page

Each Memorial Day, from Friday through Monday noon of that weekend, we bring together children of all ages from around the world whose loved one died in service to our country. This includes youth whose loved ones died during the most recent battles in Iraq, suffered a heart attack while serving in the National Guard, were at the Pentagon at the time of the attack on September 11, or were killed in a car accident. We honor the life and the service of those they loved, not the geography or circumstances of the death. These children are all part of the living legacy of military service.

Our volunteers include some whose losses were suffered when they were children during the Vietnam War and their dads never returned back home. Other volunteers are members of the Honor Guards who perform the funeral services for our fallen heroes. These volunteers (and we are all volunteers, trained in grief work) assist families who are experiencing the pain and other emotions of grief and loss. Yes - for some it is very fresh, like yourself, and for others, who have worked through a great deal of their hurt over the years. We help each other through the hurt, without losing the memory and love of our military member.

For 4 days, your children will be placed with a mentor, an Honor Guard, who will stay with your children and be a "shoulder" of support. It has been my experience that the youth help each other feel that they are not alone and that they can work through their grief. Since we are in Washington DC, we will travel to the Iwo Jima Memorial, WWII Memorial and other monuments that honor the sacrifices of our loved ones.

The seminar culminates in the Memorial Day Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery and four youth participate in the laying of the wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns and bring the American and TAPS flag into the Amphitheater as part of the ceremony. It is a great honor and we really support the youth in many ways! They learn how we, as a nation, honor those who have served and sacrificed, and they also learn coping skills for handling their own grief. They meet other children their own age, and gain a peer support network they can lean on throughout the year.

Mentor Guidelines