Special camp brings grieving kids to UWGB

GREEN BAY - Often times, some of our fondest memories growing up come from time spent at summer camps.

However, Camp Lloyd at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is less about creating new memories as it is about remembering old ones and having fun while doing it.

Started in 2006, the week-long day camp at the university gives children the opportunity to have a traditional camp experience, like playing games or go swimming. But it also helps them cope with the loss of a loved one and how to handle the grief that comes with it.

Like 12-year-old Allicen Leist.

This is her third and final year at Camp Lloyd.

She's making her third memory box to keep mementos of her father who died in 2009 of a heart attack.

"Just spending time with him," said Allicen, her voice pausing. "Talking to him and stuff."

Allicen says with each passing day, it's harder to remember her father.

But Camp Lloyd helps her deal with the pain of her loss.

"I feel like it's kind of just fading and nobody talks about him anymore, so I like talking about him with other people," said Allicen.

Showing campers they are not alone in their grief

"Death is a hard thing to deal with at any age," explained Lauren Vieaux, the Camp Lloyd head counselor and UWGB junior. "So we have fun letting these kids, kind of let that go and just be kids for a week."

When UWGB human development professor Illene Cupit started Camp Lloyd in 2006 it had only nine campers. Now, it has 49.

"What we try to teach the kids is that it's okay to be a kid, to have a good time," said Cupit. "It's not being disrespectful to your loss - as a matter of fact, their loved ones would want them to be having a good time."

And having a good time with her friends is something Allicen says she will miss.

The cost for campers to attend the week-long day camp is relatively inexpensive - between $30-$50. However, it costs much more to run, about $7,000.

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