Fallen Heroes Family Camp Inc
Programs
Budget
$10,500.00
Description
Fallen Heroes Family Camp is completely free to Gold Star Families who have lost a loved one in service to America. All activities, food, lodging, and transportation if needed, are provided to participants. Fallen Heroes Family Camp is hosted at horse farms in and near Nashville ,TN., where we rent a peaceful and rural setting, offering superb equine assisted therapy and training.
Fallen Heroes Family Camp is special, we provide a place where families for the Fallen Heroes can gather to find solace and support together as a family. They experience common interests with the other families, and take steps to gain focus on life again.
Program Successes
We do not offer "clinical psychological" therapy sessions to the Gold Star Families. We offer the Equine Assisted therapy, and the rest is kids being kids and the adult members of the families are free to bond and discuss their feelings to each other on their own, or not.
Last season one of the mothers, "Crissie"who happens to be a therapist, was very concerned to find out if we were doing any sort of philology with the child. I told her that we did not, we just want the families to forget about the everyday for a time and have fun. She was happy to hear that, as she explained. She was pregnant with her son when her husband was killed. And since he was born, he was going to one memorial service after another, as he got older, he started to act out and become angry at his father for not being there. So as she explained she told me they were dealing with it together and she didn't want to add one more "organization" to mention the death of his father to stir up all his fears/feelings .
Category
Recreation & Sports - Equestrian
Beneficiaries
Families
Adults
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Long-term Success
Gold Star Families are from all over the US and come form all social backgrounds. The one thing they have in common is the loss and new reality of living after they lose their hero. They are broken and some of the children are withdrawn and just so sad. They are scared and don't know how to express their feelings. We have had repeat families for camp, and the children are a little older and they are more confident and eager to get back with the horses and continue to gain courage and grow.
Short-term Success
Witnessing the change in the demeanor of the children and adults, that experience working one on one with the horses is powerful. Watching the bond develop, and seeing the trust between the horse and person is very emotional to watch, as it transitions in the round pen. After each experience our families have told us, when asked, what would you like to see added or changed with our program?, and 9 out of 10 times, hands down they say they wish there could be more time and camp be longer than a weekend.
Program Success Monitored By
I talk to our Gold Star Families all of the time, I have been told by almost all, that Fallen Heroes Family Camp is needed, because there really isn't any other organization that caters to the entire family of our Fallen Heroes.
Most organizations are for the surviving spouse only or for the children only.
I have had mothers and fathers , cousins, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters of the fallen, tell me how thrilled they were to have an organization that includes them as well . After all they LOST their hero too. And there is really nothing for them. Many mothers feel so left out and broken, they take it the hardest from my interviews. So we are happy to be able to be a small part. And we hope to grow so we can cater to many more families.
Program Areas Served
Tennessee, but we accept applicants from all over the United States to participate in our camps.
$10,500.00
Description
Fallen Heroes Family Camp is completely free to Gold Star Families who have lost a loved one in service to America. All activities, food, lodging, and transportation if needed, are provided to participants. Fallen Heroes Family Camp is hosted at horse farms in and near Nashville ,TN., where we rent a peaceful and rural setting, offering superb equine assisted therapy and training.
Fallen Heroes Family Camp is special, we provide a place where families for the Fallen Heroes can gather to find solace and support together as a family. They experience common interests with the other families, and take steps to gain focus on life again.
Program Successes
We do not offer "clinical psychological" therapy sessions to the Gold Star Families. We offer the Equine Assisted therapy, and the rest is kids being kids and the adult members of the families are free to bond and discuss their feelings to each other on their own, or not.
Last season one of the mothers, "Crissie"who happens to be a therapist, was very concerned to find out if we were doing any sort of philology with the child. I told her that we did not, we just want the families to forget about the everyday for a time and have fun. She was happy to hear that, as she explained. She was pregnant with her son when her husband was killed. And since he was born, he was going to one memorial service after another, as he got older, he started to act out and become angry at his father for not being there. So as she explained she told me they were dealing with it together and she didn't want to add one more "organization" to mention the death of his father to stir up all his fears/feelings .
Category
Recreation & Sports - Equestrian
Beneficiaries
Families
Adults
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Long-term Success
Gold Star Families are from all over the US and come form all social backgrounds. The one thing they have in common is the loss and new reality of living after they lose their hero. They are broken and some of the children are withdrawn and just so sad. They are scared and don't know how to express their feelings. We have had repeat families for camp, and the children are a little older and they are more confident and eager to get back with the horses and continue to gain courage and grow.
Short-term Success
Witnessing the change in the demeanor of the children and adults, that experience working one on one with the horses is powerful. Watching the bond develop, and seeing the trust between the horse and person is very emotional to watch, as it transitions in the round pen. After each experience our families have told us, when asked, what would you like to see added or changed with our program?, and 9 out of 10 times, hands down they say they wish there could be more time and camp be longer than a weekend.
Program Success Monitored By
I talk to our Gold Star Families all of the time, I have been told by almost all, that Fallen Heroes Family Camp is needed, because there really isn't any other organization that caters to the entire family of our Fallen Heroes.
Most organizations are for the surviving spouse only or for the children only.
I have had mothers and fathers , cousins, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters of the fallen, tell me how thrilled they were to have an organization that includes them as well . After all they LOST their hero too. And there is really nothing for them. Many mothers feel so left out and broken, they take it the hardest from my interviews. So we are happy to be able to be a small part. And we hope to grow so we can cater to many more families.
Program Areas Served
Tennessee, but we accept applicants from all over the United States to participate in our camps.
Budget
$10,500.00
Description
Fallen Heroes Family Camp is completely free to Gold Star families. We secure and rent a hosting farm/ranch, including the use of their horses and additional buildings ,for other activities for a weekend, where our equine assisted therapy clinic is held. We hire a certified trainer for the clinics. We pay for transportation for those who need it. All lodging, food, activity supplies, insurance and any other incidentals that help us create a memorable experience for the families attending are included. We provide a service to our heroes families that there is a need for. There are many organizations for the surviving spouse and or the children. but we have found that there is nothing for the other family member left behind. The mother,father,sister brother or even cousin ,aunt or uncle. We have witnessed the healing for these family members through the one on one interaction with the horses. Building a trust and building bonds with the other families in common is so healing.
Category
Recreation & Sports - Equestrian
Beneficiaries
Families
Adults
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
Nashville, Tennessee and surrounding areas, but we accept Gold Star families from out of our area to participate at our camps in Tn.
$10,500.00
Description
Fallen Heroes Family Camp is completely free to Gold Star families. We secure and rent a hosting farm/ranch, including the use of their horses and additional buildings ,for other activities for a weekend, where our equine assisted therapy clinic is held. We hire a certified trainer for the clinics. We pay for transportation for those who need it. All lodging, food, activity supplies, insurance and any other incidentals that help us create a memorable experience for the families attending are included. We provide a service to our heroes families that there is a need for. There are many organizations for the surviving spouse and or the children. but we have found that there is nothing for the other family member left behind. The mother,father,sister brother or even cousin ,aunt or uncle. We have witnessed the healing for these family members through the one on one interaction with the horses. Building a trust and building bonds with the other families in common is so healing.
Category
Recreation & Sports - Equestrian
Beneficiaries
Families
Adults
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Program Areas Served
Nashville, Tennessee and surrounding areas, but we accept Gold Star families from out of our area to participate at our camps in Tn.
