East Chattanooga nonprofit hosts grief camp for children

Keylon Crayton, 12, plays a cup stacking game during a grief camp event Friday, Jan. 5, 2018 at Booker T. Washington State Park in Chattanooga, Tenn. The East Chattanooga Improvement Inc. hosted the grief camp for youth who have lost a relative to death or divorce. Keylon Crayton, 12, plays a cup stacking game during a grief camp event Friday, Jan. 5, 2018 at Booker T. Washington State Park in Chattanooga, Tenn. The East Chattanooga Improvement Inc. hosted the grief camp for youth who have lost a relative to death or divorce.

By Yolanda Putman January 26, 2018 3 min read

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East Chattanooga nonprofit hosts grief camp for children

Londyn Nelson, 9, participates in an activity with Jillian Ward, 13, during a grief camp event hosted by East Chattanooga Improvement Inc. Friday, Jan. 5, 2018 at Booker T. Washington State Park in Chattanooga, Tenn. One child out of 20 will experience the death of a parent before reaching the age of 15, according to the California-based nonprofit Elevating Hope.

Jared Ward, 11, and Jillian Ward, 13, come up with a handshake during a grief camp event Friday, Jan. 5, 2018 at Booker T. Washington State Park in Chattanooga, Tenn. The camp was a three-day retreat event free to any child who suffered loss of a parent or close family member.

AJ Smith, 14, and Gabby Roberts, 12, come up with a handshake during a grief camp event Friday, Jan. 5, 2018 at Booker T. Washington State Park in Chattanooga, Tenn. The East Chattanooga Improvement Inc. hosted the grief camp for youth who have lost a relative to death or divorce.

Children attending a grief camp hosted by the East Chattanooga Improvement Inc. get food Friday, Jan. 5, 2018 at Booker T. Washington State Park in Chattanooga, Tenn. The camp was a three-day retreat event free to any child who suffered loss of a parent or close family member.

AJ Smith, 14, gets spaghetti casserole from Phyllis Smith, a volunteer, during a grief camp Friday, Jan. 5, 2018 at Booker T. Washington State Park in Chattanooga, Tenn. The East Chattanooga Improvement Inc. hosted a grief camp for youth who have lost a relative to death or divorce.

Keyonte Crayton, 11, talks with others during dinner at a grief camp hosted by the East Chattanooga Improvement Inc. Friday, Jan. 5, 2018 at Booker T. Washington State Park in Chattanooga, Tenn. Kids participated in various activities throughout the weekend to help them communicate their feelings and control their emotions better.

The deaths of Keylon Crayton’s aunt and cousin happened six weeks apart, and broke his heart. The sadness he felt made it hard to think about his future, but the 12-year-old middle-school student wants to try, and a host of counselors and youth leaders wants to help.

Keylon was among more than 40 children attending When Healing Meets Hope, a camp for youth who have experienced the loss of a family member.

Monica Burke, program manager of East Chattanooga Improvement Inc., a community advocacy organization, organized the three-day overnight camp earlier this month at Booker T. Washington State Park.

She planned When Healing Meets Hope after noticing children in a group that her father organized called Healing on Both Sides. That group was focused on adults who had lost children to homicide. Burke noticed that the homicide victims often had children, and she wanted to help them.

What’s next?

› What: Movie Night (everyone welcome).› When: 6-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16.› Where: Avondale Youth and Family Development Center, 501 W. 12th St.