Camp Helps Bereaved Children
By Kiawana Rich,
Advance Staff Writer
Reprinted from silive.com
Sunday, June 13, 2004
The hearts, flowers, flags and rainbows frame the messages of love:
"I Miss You."
"You are all stars shining brightly above."
All done in crayons, markers and pencils, it was clear the panels on the decorative quilt hung in the Staten Island Children's Museum in Livingston were crafted by the hands of children.
The quilt is part of America's Camp, a non-profit, all volunteer Massachusetts-based camp for children ages 7 to 15. The free, one-week camp helps children who lost parents or siblings who were police or firefighters or who died in the during the Sept. 11 attacks.
"Part of 9/11 to these children was about there being some people in this world going out of their way to create devastation and sadness," said Andy Cole, executive director of the camp. "America's Camp is a place where children find out the opposite can be true. People can go out of their way to bring healing, happiness and joy."
One of the camp's healing efforts is a project called "Quilt Slam 2003: Through Their Eyes," on display in the museum until Aug. 13. The 5-by-35 foot quilt is made of over 300 panels - made by mostly by children during the 2003 session last August.
"The finished products are really varied," said Cole. "Some are celebrations of memory, some are celebrations of life and hope. Some are about legacy. Some focused on their fathers or mothers or siblings, and others focused on being at the camp and having a great time."
The genesis of the project came from long-time artist Traci Molloy. Ms. Molloy's sister, Laurel Molloy, a camp volunteer and former assistant director, said her sister decided creating a quilt similar to the renowned AIDS quilt would help the children deal with their grief.
After Aug. 13, the quilt will stay on display at the Center for Grieving Children in Portland, Maine.
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