Camp Erin - Cincinnati Program
Moyer Foundation Partners With Fernside
The Moyer Foundation was established by Major
League All-Star Pitcher, Jamie Moyer and his wife, Karen, in 2000. The Moyer Foundation raises money to
help children in distress. One of The Moyer Foundation’s major initiatives is Camp Erin - a bereavement
camp for children and teenagers. In March 2007, The Moyer Foundation announced its plan to expand Camp Erin nationwide, supporting camps in every major league baseball city. The Foundation teams up with local grief counseling organizations to provide these special camps. Gary Pollock, Executive Director of The Moyer Foundation and Lesa Anderson, Camp Erin Director, visited Fernside in October, and soon after, we received the exciting news that Fernside had been selected as their Cincinnati partner.
Although Fernside has run a bereavement camp for over 17 years, the partnership with The Moyer Foundation will only strengthen our program. The Foundation has awarded a $100,000 grant payable over 10 years, and has coordinated support from our local MLB team, the Cincinnati Reds. We are looking forward to working with the Cincinnati Reds to support Camp Erin-Cincinnati.
Our camp program includes a summer camp for children ages 7 - 12 and a retreat for teens ages 13 - 18. Each camp and retreat has a theme, which is incorporated in all the activities throughout the camp or retreat experience. For specific dates and registration information, please call our office.
Camp Erin - Cincinnati, Summer
Camp (for children ages 7 - 12)
The summer camp is a four-day, three night camp experience for children who are grieving the death of a family member
or friend, using expressive arts and physically challenging adventures in an outdoor setting. During the camp,
children are given the opportunity to work in a small group environment with other grieving children to share their
stories of loss, how their lives have been changed, their memories and their feelings. The camp offers the children
a chance to process their grief and also participate in traditional camp activities including campfires, swimming
and hiking.
On Sunday, families are invited to participate in a special family day. Family members participate in activities that provide an opportunity for team building, and learning more about various aspects of self-care including nutrition, exercise and stress management.
Camp Erin - Cincinnati, Teen Retreat (for ages 13 - 18)
The teen retreat is an annual weekend retreat experience for youth ages 13 - 18 who are grieving the death of a
family member or friend. The retreat incorporates expressive arts and physically challenging adventures in an
outdoor setting. During the weekend, sharing groups and related activities promote positive self-esteem, encourage
safe expression of feelings and gives the participants an opportunity to interact with other grieving teens. The
highlight for many of the teens is the high ropes course.
Here is what some of the teens and their parents have said about the retreat:
- "It opened up Justin's thoughts about his mother's death."
- "It was a great experience and a must for any child with a loss of a loved one."
- "I liked making new friends and making positive progress with the death of my dad. It was awesome; I had the time of my life."