POTSDAM — Outdoor games, ice cream making and other fun activities are in store at this year’s Camp Healing Hearts, a daylong event for children and youth dealing with the death of a family member or close friend.

Once again, area youths will team up with trained counselors for games and activities designed to teach them coping skills. Now in its third year, the free camp is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 18 at Hospice of St. Lawrence Valley, Route 11. About a dozen spots for youths ages 5 to 17 are still available.

This year’s them is “A Day at the Carnival,” and highlights include darts, potato sack races, an obstacle course and creation of home-made ice cream.

Kay L. DePerno, a hospice bereavement counselor, said taking time to grieve properly gets overlooked in today’s fast-paced society.

Trained hospice counselors will lead activities designed to help campers begin to understand what grief is and learn different coping strategies.

Gathering with peers who are experiencing similar feelings is helpful in the healing process, she said.

For more information or to register, call hospice by July 20 at 265-3105.

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