published in the Herald Mail, June 4, 2019

BUCKEYSTOWN, MD — The Claggett Center, in partnership with the SpiritWorks Foundation and the Province III Opioid Response Task Force of The Episcopal Church, is accepting applications for Camp Spirit Song, a free summer camp for those in grades four to eight who are affected by the opioid addiction of a parent or other close loved one.

Camp Spirit Song’s inaugural session is scheduled for Aug. 11 to 16.

Through the support of passionate donors, Camp Spirit Song is offered at no cost to campers’ families.

This specialized overnight camp will use the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services program curriculum for Supportive Education for Children of Addicted Parents, which lists the following core philosophies as central to any successful and healthy intervention program:

• Children deserve the right to their own recovery and healing.

• Children deserve to be treated with dignity, respect, value and worth.

• Children deserve to be listened to and heard.

• Children deserve the opportunity to be kids.

“Our work with children and youth is designed to help break the intergenerational cycle of addiction in families. Programs like Camp Spirit Song help children and youth build resilience,” the Rev. Jan M. Brown, founding/executive director of SpiritWorks Foundation, said in a news release.

“Camp Spirit Song creates a setting in which children can participate in meaningful, compassionate group sessions which honor their experiences and inherent worth, while enjoying all the opportunities that summer camp provides for kids to be kids,” Rita Yoe, Claggett Center programs coordinator, said in the release.

Campers will have a chance to participate in classic camp activities such as crafts, games, hiking, swimming and campfires in a supportive Christian community. Children will be surrounded by caring and reliable adults, including recovery professionals from the SpiritWorks Foundation and trained Claggett Center summer counselors, to affirm their gifts and invite them into community, just as they are.

For more information or to obtain a camper application, go to www.claggettcenter.org; or contact Yoe at 301-874-5147 or ryoe@claggettcenter.org.