I learned about Comfort Zone from the counselor at my daughters’ school in early 2025. Knowing how impactful last year’s grief camp (Chameleon’s Journey) had been, I signed both my girls up right away. I found out this organization hosts camps all over the country and the one closet to Charlotte would be taking place in September 2025 at Camp Thunderbird. In preparation for the camp I had a call with a staff member over the summer who asked questions about each of my daughters so they could be paired up with a “big buddy” who would be a good fit for their personalities. A week or two before camp, both big buddies reached out and scheduled a call so they could each get to know their little buddy. When the weekend arrived, my girls were pumped and ready for the weekend. It was a long weekend (for me) thinking about all the experiences they were having and wondering if they were enjoying themselves. On Sunday morning, there was a closing ceremony that was so touching, heartbreaking, and heartwarming at the same time. Seeing the bonds my children had made with the other campers and their big buddies brought tears to my eyes. This is truly an experience that will stay with them for their lifetime. There’s so much more I’d like to share about the magnitude of this opportunity, but I’ll just end with an expression of gratitude for the counselors, big buddies, staff members, and donors who made this camp a possibility. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

If your child has had the opportunity to attend Comfort Zone Camp, please comment below to share a little about the impact on your family. To visit their website, click here.