web1_John-FH.jpg

As addiction evolves, Choices launches new weekly informational meeting

web1_20170807_100441.jpg

Dallas Township fundraiser ‘Play for the Park’ slated for Sept. 16

<p>DALLAS TWP. &#8212; Picture a shaken bottle of soda exploding when the top is unscrewed &#8212; that&#8217;s equivalent to the emotional level some grieving children hold in, as other issues such as bullying and demands of school pile up, according to Lisa Libetrau, founder of Camp Koala.</p><p>A grief camp for children, Camp Koala provides a safe outlet for youth to sort out their feelings through a variety of activities as well as talking with peers who are on a similar &#8220;grief journey,&#8221; Libetrau said.</p><p>&#8220;These children need help,&#8221; the Kingston resident explained. &#8220;Families are dealing with a loss of a loved one, and school counselors are either overburdened or not trained to help.&#8221;</p><p>Camp Koala started in Carlisle in 2008, where Libetrau previously lived. She expanded the program to Dallas Township in 2015 when her family moved to Kingston, and Mifflinburg, near her hometown, in 2016.</p><p>Camp Orchard Hill at 640 Orange Road will host the third annual Camp Koala on Sept. 16.</p><p>Registration is required and may be completed by visiting www.campkoala.org. You can also call 717-258-1122 or email director@campkoala.org.</p><p>Campers receive a &#8220;comfort box&#8221; containing a blanket, a small stuffed koala bear as well as other items to comfort and aid them through the grieving process.</p><p>The camp program, which is developed for 7- to 12-year-olds, includes art therapy, music therapy, group discussion, camping activities such as campfires, S&#8217;mores, hiking, canoeing and much more, Libetrau said.</p><p>&#8220;It is an incredibly sensitive topic,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Children have a short attention span, so we mix up the activities to give them an emotional break.&#8221;</p><p>Each camper is assigned a counselor and a &#8220;big buddy&#8221; to help them through the process.</p><p>&#8220;Just like a koala carries its young on their back, a big buddy helps the little buddy,&#8221; Libetrau said.</p><p>As children hear others tell stories about losing parents, siblings, friends or other family members, they relate to each other and a camaraderie forms, opening doors of communication.</p><p>Stories of loss vary, but Libetrau noticed nearly 75 percent of children who visit the Dallas Township camp have lost someone to drugs.</p><p>Libetrau, a former theater professor at Dickinson College, started the nonprofit as a memorial tribute to her sisters, Michelle and Heather, who were killed in a car accident in 1989.</p><p>&#8220;Michelle was 12; Heather was 9,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Libetrau&#8217;s mother and father were also in the car and survived their injuries. Libetrau, who was 17 at the time, was not in the vehicle.</p><p>Now 46, Libetrau remembers how classmates shied away from her after the accident and how she held back from discussing the loss with her parents for fear of upsetting them.</p><p>&#8220;They were grieving, too,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Twenty years later, I am able to move my &#8216;grief block&#8217; by helping other children.&#8221;</p><p>Libetrau tapped into her own experience and educational resources to develop an organized therapy program.</p><p>The transformation it helps create in campers is inspirational, she said.</p><p>She recalled one child who pulled the strings of a hoodie so tight the garment closed around their face, shielding them from interacting with others.</p><p>The camper was teamed with a &#8220;big buddy&#8221; and played a game of giant Jenga.</p><p>&#8220;Our giant Jenga has questions written on the blocks about the person who is lost,&#8221; she said.</p><p>By the end of the camp, the child had shed the hoodie and was talking with peers, Libetrau said.</p><p>&#8220;The magic happens off (camp) schedule,&#8221; she said. &#8220;No pressure. Kids talk to each other in a safe, relaxed atmosphere.&#8221;</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_2016-Camp-Koala.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Camp Koala, which is hosted at Camp Orchard Hill in Dallas Township, uses art therapy techniques to help children through the grieving process. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_2016-Camp-Koala.jpg</photo0><caption0>Camp Koala, which is hosted at Camp Orchard Hill in Dallas Township, uses art therapy techniques to help children through the grieving process. </caption0><photoCredit0>Submitted photo </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_20161008-Camp-Koala.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Participants in Camp Koala will experience a variety of activities, including boating and hiking along with art and music therapy to help them accept the loss of a loved one. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_20161008-Camp-Koala.jpg</photo1><caption1>Participants in Camp Koala will experience a variety of activities, including boating and hiking along with art and music therapy to help them accept the loss of a loved one. </caption1><photoCredit1>Submitted photo </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_20151121Camp-Koala-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Camp Koala, a grief camp for children held in Dallas Township, includes a giant Jenga game to help open the lines of communication and encourage children to share memories about someone they lost. The camp, hosted at Camp Orchard Hill, is set for Sept. 16. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_20151121Camp-Koala-3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Camp Koala, a grief camp for children held in Dallas Township, includes a giant Jenga game to help open the lines of communication and encourage children to share memories about someone they lost. The camp, hosted at Camp Orchard Hill, is set for Sept. 16. </caption2><photoCredit2>Submitted photo </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Eileen Godin</p><p>egodin@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>Camp Koala</strong></p><p><strong>Date:</strong> Saturday, Sept. 16</p><p><strong>Place: </strong>Camp Orchard Hill, 640 Orange Road, Dallas</p><p><strong>Information or to register:</strong> Visit <a href="http://www.campkoala.org">www.campkoala.org</a>, call 717-258-1122 or email director@campkoala.org</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Eileen Godin at 570-991-6387 or on Twitter @TLNews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Camp Koala helps area youth through grieving process