Although she and her children are close, Shela Nale said it has been difficult for them to talk about the recent loss of her mother.
She signed the three of them up for the SSM Health at Home hospice program's third annual Camp MAGIC (Mending A Heart, Grief in Children) Saturday at Jefferson City's Binder Park.
"I thought it would be good for us to come to be with others who have been through the same thing we have and take away a lesson or two," Nale said.
Nale's two teenagers were among two dozen youth, ages 6-18, who participated in the Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department's confidence course in the morning, climbing rock walls and zip lining through the park.
Each child was paired with a volunteer "buddy."
"That's a pretty big deal; that's a lot of volunteers," Nale said. "You know that they care."
Sharon Morgan, who has volunteered with hospice for about five years, has also volunteered as a buddy for Camp MAGIC all three years. Working with the younger age is different from her normal work with caregivers and those actively dying, she said.
"I could tell it made a difference in the kids' attitudes and how they felt," Morgan said of continuing to volunteer. "I want to continue to be part of making that difference."
Participation numbers have increased each year, said coordinator Jony Lootens. Bereavement social workers share information about Camp MAGIC and information is sent to school counselors who may identify children who could benefit, she said.
"We found there was a need for this," Lootens said. Participants this year traveled from as far as Marshal and Martinsburg.
"Our overall goal is to help children feel that they are not alone, to meet other children who have experienced losses," she said. "Then, we provide a format to talk about grief, which can be a scary topic."