Hephzibah’s foster siblings have returned from their three day summer adventure in Wisconsin, with tons of stories to share. Water balloon fights, swimming every day, snow cones from Jason, getting to the top of the rock wall for the first time, canoeing, s’mores over a bonfire, and more. For three full days our kids get to spend time with their siblings without a time limit, trying new things, conquering fears, and feeling like a family again. As the kids disembark at Hephzibah Home to head back to their foster families, behind every exhausted smile and every elated word are memories with their siblings that they can look back on for a lifetime.
On the first night we always set the tone by getting gooey with marshmallows and melty chocolate at the bonfire. The next day our kids push themselves to try new things and lean on their siblings for support. We play all sorts of trust building games, and often have siblings belay each other on the rock wall & obstacle course maneuvering. Then we relax with magic shows, balloon creations – the works. Every activity is in service of bringing our siblings – separated by distance and short visitation windows – closer together. Siblings need to grow beyond the limited visitation hours and form lasting memories, and with your help, Camp Heph-SIB-ah was able to fill that need for another year. On the last day, we present our kids with photo books to make the memories even stickier.
We’re hugely grateful to the donors and supporters who made this camp possible for our kids. A special thanks to Hephzibah’s Western Auxiliary Board who sponsored backpacks stuffed with summer essentials for each camper, and whose events helped fund the entire camp. We couldn’t have done it without every one of you showing your support for our work 💜
Donate to Next Year’s Sib Camp!