By Jacob Spilker, Director of Development
Grief is heavy, especially for a child. It can feel lonely, confusing, or too big to speak out loud. But each fall at Carol Joy Holling Camp, something remarkable happens: kids and teens who have lost someone they love come together, not in a hospital, school, or counseling office—but surrounded by trees, trails, cabins, and the quiet stillness of the lake.
Here, in partnership with the Mourning Hope Grief Center, Camp Erin Lincoln becomes a place where healing is wrapped in community, nature, and compassion.
Mourning Hope provides free, peer-based grief support, counseling, and education for children, adults, and families. Their mission is simple and powerful: no one should have to grieve alone.
Every year, that mission comes to life at Camp Erin Lincoln, a two-day experience blending traditional camp activities with intentional, compassionate grief support. And it happens here because Carol Joy Holling Camp offers something grief work can’t always provide: space.
Mourning Hope’s partnership with Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries began in 2015. For more than a decade, the natural beauty of camp has given grieving kids a setting where they can breathe, reflect, and feel safe enough to open up. The trails, cabins, worship spaces, and stillness of the lake help create the quiet needed for healing.
“An outdoor camp setting provides a powerful backdrop for grief work,” Jennifer Smith, Mourning Hope Communications & Marketing Manager shared. “Away from daily routines and surrounded by nature, kids can slow down, breathe, and feel a sense of calm that makes it easier to open up. The natural environment reminds campers that change and growth are part of life—healing, like nature, takes time.”
Throughout the weekend, campers fish, hike, craft, and sit shoulder-to-shoulder at meals. But they also engage in activities designed to help them process loss. They add photos to a Memory Board, create luminaries in honor of the person they’ve lost, and sit together around a fire where it’s safe to speak their loved one’s name.
Carol Joy Holling Camp provides the setting, and Mourning Hope provides the support, to help them understand that grief and joy are not opposites. Both deserve space.
The transformation from the moment campers arrive to the moment they leave is often remarkable.
“Many campers arrive quiet, anxious, or unsure of what to expect,” Jennifer explained. “But as the weekend goes on, we see them begin to open up, support one another, and find comfort in shared experiences.”
That change often shows up in unexpected ways. In one boys’ cabin, two campers began the weekend in conflict, unable to get along. By Saturday night, they were sitting side by side at the luminary ceremony while crying, sharing memories, and comforting each other.
Moments like this capture the heart of Camp Erin Lincoln. It’s a space where understanding, connection, and healing naturally unfold.
Some stories stay with the staff long after the weekend ends.
One teen came to camp feeling ashamed to talk about her father’s death by suicide. She had never shared it in a group. At camp, she met another teen who had experienced the same kind of loss. For the first time, she realized she was not alone, and the shame began to loosen its grip.
Another camper, a middle school boy from rural Nebraska, returned for his second year. His grandmother shared that Camp Erin Lincoln is the only place where he is surrounded by other kids who have lost a parent, the only place he doesn’t have to explain his story.
These are the moments the generosity of donors make possible. You provide the space. You make room for healing. You help ensure that when a child needs a safe, peaceful place to untangle their grief, Carol Joy Holling Camp stands ready to welcome them.
For more than a decade, this partnership has offered a grace-filled reminder: grief is real, but hope is real too. And when young people can share their grief with others who understand, they discover something life-changing: they are not alone—and they never have been.
Because Mourning Hope provides this safe, intentional community for youth to grow through relationships, we presented them with the Community Award at the 2026 Heart of Camp Gala.
