Camp Spirit Song

About

Camp Spirit Song is offered in partnership with the SpiritWorks Foundation to give the gift of a camp experience to children in Province III (Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, Washington, DC and West Virginia) affected by the opioid substance use disorder of a parent or other close loved one. This is the first camp program of its kind on the east coast, and is offered for free to participants. 

Campers have the opportunity to participate in all the classic camp activities: swimming, games, crafts, ropes course, canoeing, chapel* and more. First and foremost, Camp Spirit Song is a place where kids can leave aside their burdens and be kids for a week. Claggett counselors lead campers in recreational and relationship building activities, helping campers to create a supportive community, make new friends, and have fun.

Each day, campers gather for Small Group sessions led by experienced counselors from Spiritworks Foundation for the Soul, an organization that specializes in addiction services and recovery for families affected by addiction. 

Campers learn the “Seven C’s” of a family member’s addiction: “I didn’t cause it, I can’t cure it, I can’t control it, but I can take care of myself by communicating my feelings, making good choices, and celebrating myself.” Sessions give campers a safe place to talk openly about their experiences with addiction and support each other as they process the ways in which opioid addiction has affected them.

Like all Claggett camps, Camp Spirit Song is a ministry of the Diocese of Maryland, and campers are invited to worship and wonder through the Christian story in daily, age-appropriate chapel sessions. Group counseling sessions do not contain any religious content, and campers of all backgrounds are welcome--campers are not required to have any religious background, nor will they be asked to adopt any specific belief system through their participation in Camp Spirit Song.

Camp provides children grades 4-8 with an opportunity to meet God through:

• the support of a Christian community
• fellowship with peers who share a common experience
• time to rest and play away from the distractions of everyday life

To learn more about Camp Spirit Song and volunteer opportunities, contact Rosie Alger, Program Director at the Claggett Center: (301) 874-5147; ralger@claggettcenter.org.

Upcoming Events:

Winter weekend: register here!


Summer session: June 22-27 (registration opens December 1)

Support

It is our mission to offer Camp Spirit Song at no cost to campers’ families. You can help make camp a reality for 40 campers this year by sponsoring a camper. $1,000 covers the cost of one camper, including room and board, program materials, and staff fees. Individuals, parishes, and dioceses may donate directly toward camper sponsorship. To make or pledge a contribution toward Camp Spirit Song, click here or contact Lisa Marie Ryder, Co-Executive Director of the Claggett Center, lmryder@claggettcenter.org.

In Your Community

Camp Spirit Song is partnered with Partnership to End Addiction, an organization dedicated to ending substance abuse and supporting families and teens in recovery. For more information regarding their work, click here.

Know someone who is struggling with an addiction? Visit for MD Heroin Awareness for a variety of services and support. 

SpiritWorks Foundation: SpiritWorks Foundation Center for the Soul is a Recovery Community Organization (RCO) based in Williamsburg, VA. They are comprised of, and led primarily by, people who live in recovery from addiction. For more information on their services, click here. 

Maryland Coalition of Families: Maryland Coalition of Families (MCF) is a state-wide nonprofit dedicated to connecting, supporting and empowering families who are experiencing behavioral health challenges. They also advocate to improve services and systems that impact individuals with behavioral health challenges and to reduce stigma related to behavioral health. Click here to visit their website.