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2015 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 295
Commending Comfort Zone Camp.
 
Agreed to by the Senate, January 22, 2015
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 30, 2015
 

WHEREAS, for more than 15 years, Comfort Zone Camp has provided assistance, solace, and understanding to children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver; and

WHEREAS, Lynne Hughes founded Comfort Zone Camp in Richmond and held the first camp in May 1999, to provide a safe and fun camp environment where children who are grieving the loss of a loved one are heard, understood, and taught healthy ways to process their grief; and

WHEREAS, the mission of Comfort Zone Camp is to provide grieving children with a voice, a place, and a community in which to heal, grow, and lead more fulfilling lives; the organization envisions a world where children are not forgotten and do not grieve alone but benefit from wide community support; and

WHEREAS, the camps are free of charge and are held throughout the year in several places in the United States; confidence-building programs and age-based support groups are key components of Comfort Zone Camp; and

WHEREAS, Comfort Zone Camp helps bereaved young people break through the sometimes overwhelming emotional isolation that they can feel; adult and student volunteers—some of whom were Comfort Zone campers when they were younger—provide steadfast care and understanding; and

WHEREAS, the boys and girls who attend Comfort Zone Camp are 7 to 17 years old; camp sessions range from one to four days and each camper is carefully paired with a buddy for the entire time who offers friendship, mentoring, and support; and

WHEREAS, in its 15 years of existence, Comfort Zone Camp has served children from throughout the United States and from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia; the non-profit organization has offices in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Virginia; and

WHEREAS, Comfort Zone Camp receives generous support from individuals, corporations, organizations, and foundations; the organization also works with groups that hope to hold a camp in their area; and

WHEREAS, an online community called HelloGrief.org is part of the Comfort Zone program; the social media site offers opportunities for young people to discuss the impact of their loss and share meaningful anecdotes and recollections by means of forums, blog posts, and online memorial walls; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Comfort Zone Camp for more than 15 years of dedicated service to children who are grieving the loss of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Mary Beth McIntire, chief executive officer of Comfort Zone Camp, as an expression of the General Assembly’s heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for the organization’s selfless work offering solace and understanding to bereaved children in a safe and fun camp environment.