Camp Nabi Marks 31 Years of Helping Grieving Kids

Chesapeake Life Center marked the 31st year of Camp Nabi, its annual bereavement camp for grieving children, hosting 35 kids ages 6 to 18 for a weekend of grief support and fun at Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center in Millersville from Aug. 7 to 9.

Sixty volunteers and 16 Hospice of the Chesapeake and Chesapeake Life Center staff members ran the camp, including 38 “Big Buddies” — adult volunteers trained to stay with one or two children throughout the weekend to help guide them through the experience. Seventeen of the volunteers were helping at the camp for the first time, while two had attended Camp Nabi themselves as children. Four therapy dogs also took part, and campers went home with 40 quilts made by the Southern Comforters Quilting Guild, 20 blankets from Project Linus of Anne Arundel County, and 35 stuffed animals donated by Pam’s Hallmark. The weekend closed with a dance featuring music from DJ Andy Killen.

Volunteers filled a range of roles over the weekend, from leading arts and crafts and crabbing to tending campfires, serving as camp nurses, and handling setup and cleanup. Several individuals, organizations and businesses helped fund the camp to keep it affordable for families already coping with loss, including The Blue Waters Foundation, The Richard T. Brennan Fair Winds Memorial Foundation, Marilyn K. Coffey, Diane M. Dubovsky, and St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Annapolis.

“None of this would be possible without the generosity of our donors and the dedication of our volunteers,” said Camp Nabi Director and Chesapeake Life Center Manager Alena Dailey. “Because so many people in our community chose to give their time and resources, 35 hurting children were able to build new friendships, enjoy a fun-filled summer weekend and connect with other kids who truly understand what they’re feeling.”

Camp Nabi was founded in 1982 by the late Betty Asplund, who went on to become the founding director of what became Chesapeake Life Center, with the goal of helping grieving children learn they aren’t alone. The camp is one of several children’s grief programs the Pasadena-based center runs throughout the year, alongside workshops and support groups for children, teens and families across Hospice of the Chesapeake’s Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles and Prince George’s county service area.