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Camp HOPE offers a camp retreat for the adults who have children attending our weekend camp. The adult camp retreat runs in conjunction with the camp for children at the Wisconsin Lions Camp but is kept separate from the kid%E2%80%99s camp. The adult family members are able to gain the same insights into their grief as their children, while being treated to massage therapy, drumming, canoeing, hiking, arts and crafts, campfires and the bonds of new and powerful friendships.

We run three free weekend camps a year: Spring and Fall for new campers, and a Winter Reunion for past campers.

As a child who has experienced loss, it is sometimes difficult to jump back into the fun of being a kid. At Camp HOPE, fun is at the top of the list. Campers will have the opportunity to enjoy their surroundings with many recreational activities. Spring and fall activities may include hiking on the many trails that weave their way through the forest, swimming, fishing and boating on the lake or simply enjoying the sunset behind a campfire.

Gaga ball, Basketball, and Vollyeball are available to campers, as well as other sports equipment. Journaling, drumming, a high ropes course, a medical Q&A, and a candlelight ceremony are a few of the structured activities our campers participate in. An arts and crafts area gives campers the chance to draw, paint, make candles, and discover new artistic talents.

During our winter reunion camps, activities include cross country skiing or snowshoeing, sledding, ice skating and ice fishing.

Financial Assistance Available

Financial assistance is not needed as we are a free weekend camp. However, we can also provide transportation and supplies (winter gear, pillows, sleeping bags, etc...) if needed.

We know how important comfort food is to someone who is dealing with the loss of a loved one so we make sure that everyone is taken care of. We ask for dietary needs upfront so that we can provide the best and safest options we possibly can.

From the moment they arrive, children and teenagers learn that it is okay to laugh and play and that to do so is not disrespectful to the memory of the person who died. That fun and positive energy comes through in everything we do - starting with our counselors, to our on-site nurse to our kitchen staff. And since everyone who is at camp knows what it's like to lose someone they love, there is also plenty of space for sharing and the acceptance of tears.

Through playing, sharing, and being together in a camp setting with peers and staff who know the pain, the children and teenagers realize that the emotions they are feeling are a normal part of grief. What is happening to them happens to others everywhere, and at Camp HOPE, their pain is understood and shared.