Camp Erin San Diego Completes Successful Fifth Year

San Diego, California – San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine is excited to announce the successful completion of its fifth annual Camp Erin San Diego, a weekend camp that provides children ages 6-17 with high-energy, camp activities, along with grief support and education. Hosted by the Center for Grief Care and Education at San Diego Hospice, the camp was created, and is funded in part, by The Moyer Foundation and held every June in Julian, CA.

This year, 107 children, including 25 from military families, attended Camp Erin San Diego along with 85 volunteers, 14 of which are San Diego Hospice staff members. Karen Moyer, wife of Major League Baseball All Star Jamie Moyer and co-founder of The Moyer Foundation, attended camp and shared the story of Erin Metcalf, the Camp Erin namesake. Erin was a remarkable young woman from Woodinville, Washington that the Moyers met through Make-A-Wish. After her passing in 2000 from a rare form of liver cancer, Camp Erin was named in her honor as a way to remember her caring spirit and desire to help others. Karen also surprised campers by bringing special guest MLB All-Star and former Padres player Trevor Hoffman, who signed autographs and talked with campers.

“We are so pleased Karen and Trevor could join us at camp this year,“ said Noreen Carrington, Executive Director of the Center for Grief Care and Education at San Diego Hospice. “Not only did the kids love interacting with Karen and Trevor, but we appreciate their tireless support for children who are grieving the death of a loved one.”
 
In addition to meeting an All-Star baseball player, Camp Erin San Diego campers enjoyed a weekend of traditional camp activities, such as canoeing, a climbing wall and campfires. They also participated in several memorializing activities, including creating their own “Story Shelf,” where campers assembled a visual representation of the story of their relationship with their loved one; a Memory Board Ceremony; and floated their memorial lanterns on the lake in a touching tribute.
 
“I made memorial lanterns with three other girls who also lost their father,” said Amber, a 14-year old Camp Erin San Diego camper.  “It gave me a chance to tell stories about my dad to people who understood what I was going through and it was cool to meet other girls like me.”
 
Camp Erin San Diego is part of the largest national network of bereavement camps in the country established by The Moyer Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by World Series champion and MLB All-Star Jamie Moyer and his wife, Karen. The Foundation’s mission is to help children in distress. View pictures of Camp Erin San Diego 2012 here. More information about Camp Erin San Diego is available at www.sdhospice.org/camperin or by contacting Camp Coordinator Katie Maxfield at (619) 278-6371.
 
About San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine
San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine is one of the largest community-owned, not-for-profit hospices in the country, bringing compassionate, expert medical care to more than 1,000 seriously ill adults and children each day throughout San Diego and North County. In addition, The Center for Grief Care and Education assists more than 12,000 individuals, experiencing grief and loss, with support, counseling and guidance each year. For more information, visit www.sdhospice.org or call toll-free 866-688-1600.

About The Moyer Foundation
The Moyer Foundation is a public 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization founded in 2000 by World Series Champion Pitcher Jamie Moyer and his wife, Karen.  With offices in Seattle and Philadelphia, The Moyer Foundation supports programs that directly meet the needs of children in distress. The Foundation’s mission is to empower children in distress by providing education and support – helping them to live healthy and inspired lives. In addition to community-funded grants, the Foundation created and funds Camp Erin™, the largest network of bereavement camps in the country for grieving children and teens; and Camp Mariposa™, serving children ages 9-12 who are impacted by addiction in their family.  To learn more visit www.moyerfoundation.org.
 

Contact Information

Melissa DelaCalzada

Executive Director, Communications and Public Relations

San Diego Hospice

(1) (619) 278-6139

mdelacalzada@sdhospice.org