The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

In an effort to protect the safety of patients, volunteers and staff, and members of the community, Hospice of Redmond has made the difficult decision to cancel its children’s grief support camp, Camp Sunrise, which is held annually the third weekend of each June.

For 20 years Camp Sunrise has been recognized and honored as a valuable and effective resource in helping children navigate their way through the strange and often frightening feelings of grief after the death of a loved one. The success of Camp Sunrise is due to the capable and extraordinary people who volunteer their time each year to help the children through this amazing experience.

“The past few weeks have presented daily challenges as we at Hospice of Redmond adapt to the current health environment and the determine the best precautions for our volunteers, our staff, our patients, and our community,” said Diane Kellstrom, Bereavement Coordinator and Director of Camp Sunrise.

“Unfortunately, we had to make the difficult decision to cancel Camp Sunrise 2020.

School closures have ended our access to referrals, staff trainings cannot be held as scheduled and we cannot go into homes to complete the in-home interviews with our campers/families.

We appreciate the outpouring of community support for Camp Sunrise 2020 and any donations made this year will be honored during Camp Sunrise 2021.”

Hospice of Redmond notes that the organization appreciates the support each year of Family Access Network, school counselors, therapists and the many community members who refer children to Camp Sunrise. Families of children in need of assistance following the death of a loved one should still reach out to Hospice of Redmond for virtual bereavement support.

Hospice of Redmond urges the public to call its 24/7 line at 541-548-7483 if they are in a crisis and need someone to talk to regarding bereavement support and end-of-life care.