Taking steps toward healing
Swimming, dancing and honoring their loved ones were some of the activities campers participated in at the 24th annual Stepping Stones camp, operated at no cost to campers by BJC Hospice. The three-day-long bereavement camp is offered to children ages 6-15 who have experienced the death of a loved one. Professional staff and volunteers lead the camp, which offers a safe place to explore grief, anger and fear — balanced by plenty of fun.
This year, 58 children came to camp from all around the Greater St. Louis area, including Webster Groves, St. Louis City, Lake St. Louis, Maplewood, Pevely, St. Ann, Florissant, Fenton and Washington, Missouri, and Belleville, Illinois. Some campers traveled farther distances to come to camp from Charleston, Illinois, and Kansas City, Missouri. They all met up during the second weekend in August at Camp Wyman in Eureka, Missouri, for team building, swimming, face painting, outdoor games and, of course, s’mores. There were also therapeutic activities, such as making memory flags and stepping stones, tie-dying camp shirts, music therapy and a nighttime wooden boat ceremony with tea light candles.
“It is always such a gift to see the campers connect with one another, laugh and cry together, share stories about the people in their lives who have died, and participate in the wide variety of activities we have planned for them,” says Andrea Tritinger, BJC Hospice manager.
The older campers also participated in a climbing tower team-building activity to work on communication, trust and asking for help when needed, which are all important skills during difficult or challenging times.
Stepping Stones camp could not have happened without all the volunteers who stayed the whole weekend at camp and those who came to help with an activity. More than 60 volunteers from across the St. Louis community gave their time to help at camp, including many from across BJC.
“We were so grateful for the support of all our volunteers at camp,” Tritinger says. “They give so much of themselves to make sure camp is a positive experience for the campers and we truly appreciate their patience, flexibility, compassion, caring and energy. We were so excited to have more volunteers than ever from all across BJC, outside of hospice. It was amazing to see team members from so many BJC departments come together to show Our BJC Values in this way, outside of their regular jobs.
“It was an incredibly powerful weekend for the campers, as well as the staff and volunteers — and it was a huge success," Tritinger says.
“It surprises me each time we have this camp how quickly connections are made and the campers ease into the routine of camp, and how willing they are to be vulnerable with each other, despite not knowing anyone when they first arrive on Friday,” adds Tritinger.
“There was plenty of fun, laughter, tears and hugs. Memories were shared, new coping skills were learned, campers got to try new things and new friendships were formed in just about 48 hours of time. Stepping Stones Camp is a really special experience in so many ways.”
Words from the campers
- “Why do we only get to come once? This has been the best time I’ve ever had!”
- A camper had been very hesitant to share much during the weekend, but he finally opened up on Saturday night during the walk of remembrance and told his cabin group about the day his dad died. His mom teared up and was so grateful when she heard about this at the end of the weekend because he hasn’t spoken much about his dad or his grief since his death in late 2022.
- A camper had been somewhat guarded with her emotions but broke down crying at one point and then said, “Phew…that felt good!” when she was done crying.
- “This was the best thing my parents ever forced me to do.”
Thank you to the many volunteers from BJC HealthCare who volunteered to make Stepping Stones Camp a success! We couldn’t have done it without you. If you are interested in volunteering for BJC Hospice or Stepping Stones, email Mary Lindsley. This year's volunteers included:
- Jayne Lynch, BJC Home Care, director
- James Drane, BJC Home Medical Equipment, field technician
- Andrew Thompson, BJC Home Medical Equipment, field technician
- Julie Wolf, BJC Medical Group, CIS coordinator
- Angela Doherty, Missouri Baptist Medical Center, R&B Oncology, charge nurse
- Rita Johnson, Christian Hospital, employee/volunteer support coordinator
- Bre Monke, Memorial Hospital in Belleville, pharmacy tech
- Marilyn Roussan, Christian Hospital, Child Development Center, program specialist
- Syma Waxman, IT Data Strategy Innovations, business analyst
- Elizabeth Sullivan, St. Louis Children's Hospital, social worker
- Denise Unnerstall, IT Applications-Clinical, IS operations manager
“There is no shortage of amazing things to say about camp Stepping Stones. I have been volunteering for two years now and I will continue to volunteer every year they have it. The whole experience is beyond humbling. One of the activities the kids do is paint their own wooden boat and paper sail. The last night everyone gathers around the pool and the fence is lined with glow sticks and therapy dogs. The kids then get to place a candle on their boat and set it out to sail on the pool. It is such a beautiful way to end the weekend. Stepping Stones camp is only a few days, but it is amazing how much you see the kids change and open up. The coordinators who put this camp together are amazing and they have thought of everything to make this a wonderful camp for the campers. Everyone should get the chance to be a part of such an amazing experience.” ~ Bre Monke, Memorial Hospital in Belleville pharmacy technician
“I do not know where to start. This camp is amazing! Stepping Stones camp is a safe place where young campers can express their feelings as they deal with the loss of a loved one. This gives the children an opportunity to interact with others dealing with the same emotions and realize they are not alone. The camp provides so many activities that give the children a chance to have fun. Volunteering this weekend was so rewarding to me, and I hope I impacted the lives of these campers by showing how much I care. Stepping Stones camp shows how BJC provides extraordinary care to children who are emotionally struggling with losing a loved one.” ~ Rita Johnson, Christian Hospital volunteer support coordinator
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