Camp Jamie has been an institution of the Frederick community for the last 31 years. We are so proud to host Frederick Health Hospice’s yearly day camp which serves children who have suffered the loss of someone close to them. This year, the event took place on the farm side of our property, with campers, volunteers, and staff gathering in our homestead barn. After some ice breakers and an introduction to camp, the children were separated into two groups to go through a few experiences.
We were delighted to share our animals with the children as we allowed them a break from the hard emotional work of the rest of their day. There is nothing quite like the quiet presence of a horse or the silliness of a goat to ease tension and invite folks to let their guard down. Our beautiful natural world also played a role in the day, as the children gathered in our dawn redwood trees for a sharing circle, hiked our back trail to the natural spring to find memorial rocks, painted their stones in our pavilion overlooking the horse fields, and concluded their day around the fire ring for a remembrance ceremony (and s’mores!).
It is such an honor to share our property with everyone who comes through – and it is especially a privilege to help hearts heal and offer restoration for those who need it most.
Until next year…