Hi! My name is Marci Servizi. I’m the Development Director at Safe Crossings Foundation. Every summer, I make time to volunteer at Camp Erin-King County^TM with teens who are going through grief. Camp is such a special place because it gives kids and teens a rare opportunity to be with other grieving kids in a beautiful setting away from the stresses and pressures of their every day life. This year was particularly rewarding as I had the honor of witnessing an especially powerful moment for one teen. It’s a camp tradition to hold a sharing circle the first night. This is an important ritual that gives campers the opportunity to share about the loved one they lost in the company of other kids who “get it”. The first two years this particular girl attended camp, she wasn’t ready to share her story and decided to “pass” when it was her turn. It’s always optional for the campers to share and is certainly understandable why they might not be quite ready right away.  Each person grieves on their own timetable. At this year’s opening circle, however, she was ready to open up.  Surrounded by peers and adult volunteers with whom she has been building trust over the two previous camps, she told a little something about her dad. It clearly meant so much to her to be able to talk about her father and it meant so much to me to have witnessed her development over these few summers. I am grateful for generous donors who make opportunities like this at Camp Erin-King County^TM possible for so many kids.