EC AnnualReport final - Flipbook - Page 2
A letter from
our board chair
“The need
is vast, and
our purpose
is clear:
through
compassion,
connection,
and play,
to allow
grieving
children to
embody a
life full of
hope and
possibility.”
2
As my second stint as board chair of Experience Camps comes to an
end, I am feeling so incredibly grateful for all of the amazing things
that this organization has done for so many bereaved children . . .
and for me. Having the worst thing that ever happened to me —
my father’s death when I was 12 — lead me to an organization that
is focused on helping and inspiring kids going through their own
significant loss, has been quite powerful.
I’ve seen campers transform from being too shy or scared to say
anything to sharing their story in front of the entire camp by the end
of that week. I’ve been told by several of our older campers that, if
it were not for Experience Camps, they do not think they would be
alive. And I agreed 100% when, during a bunk sharing circle, one of
our LITs summarized the feeling in the room by saying, “It’s like we
carry this burden together.”
Experience Camps is at an exciting and important point in our
existence. Since 2009, we have built a reputation for hosting
highly-impactful grief camps, which will always be the beating heart
of our organization. Our staff and board are determined to take all
that we have learned over the past 13 years and leverage available
tools and technologies to reach significantly more kids than we
have reached in the past. The need is vast, and our purpose is clear:
through compassion, connection, and play, to allow grieving children
to embody a life full of hope and possibility. I have thoroughly enjoyed
working alongside our talented and dedicated HQ Team led by our
incredible CEO, Sara Deren. I have also had the pleasure of teaming
up with our terrific Vice Chair, Danny Sarch, who has taken over
as chair.
All My Best,
Todd Arky