Fun event raises $125,000 to help Grieving children
Experience Camps
Hundreds of people attended the “Day of Champions” event held on June 2, 2024, in Warren, NJ for a day of family-friendly fun and fierce competition. It was all tied into one glorious morning of camp-inspired challenges and activities to benefit Experience Camps.
Experience Camps is an award-winning national nonprofit that transforms the lives of grieving children through free, weeklong, summer-camp programs, and innovative, year-round initiatives. There are six million young people in the U.S. who will experience the death of a parent or sibling, and Experience Camps aims to provide as many young people as possible joy, hope and strategies for learning how to navigate their grief journey.
The “Day of Champions” event started in 2018 in Westport, CT. It grew out of the desire to host a different type of fundraiser for Experience Camps, and the idea to do a massive “Color War” (think camp Olympics) was formed. This was the second annual Day of Champions at Camp Riverbend in Warren, NJ.
For the event, 20 teams sign up for an amazing day of fun. They are each assigned a spirit color which they are encouraged to fully embrace (including tie dye, spray paint, body/hair paint, tutus…the wilder, the better). They competed in five activities to earn points. Along the way they were also tasked with fundraising for Experience Camps. A minimum of $2,500 is expected to be raised by each team.
The day kicked off with Opening Ceremonies, which includes some words from the Event Chair and a camper speaker. The games then ran for about an hour and a half, before finishing the day with Closing Ceremonies, which included the awarding of trophies. Then everyone celebrated with treats, and there was much to celebrate!
“It was incredible to see so many families of Summit join together where the joy of friendly competition met the power of philanthropy, creating a kaleidoscope of fun and goodwill for everyone who participated,” said Justine Lelchuk, Day of Champions Team Captain and Summit Resident. Added Ari Landau, Day of Champion Team Captain and Summit Resident, “Bereavement can be a difficult topic to talk about but I felt uplifted knowing so many of us came together to support grieving children and raise critical dollars for much needed bereavement programming.”
“The “Day of Champions” is a unique opportunity for friends and families of all ages to come together for an incredible cause,” says Hillary Irwin, Westfield resident and event co-chair. “I was truly amazed and inspired by all of the people who showed up, dressed-up, volunteered, fund-raised and competed. I am very grateful to be a part of this event and this organization.”
Jenni Hetrick, Assistant Director & Division Head of Camp Riverbend, where the event took place said, “Camp Riverbend has always believed in the magic of camp and is proud to partner with Experience Camps and other organizations that support grieving children.”
In addition to a lot of smiles and community bonding, the teams raised $125,000 that will support Experience Camps’ programming and help heal thousands of grieving teens. For those who want to get involved with Experience Camps or make use of their free grief resources, visit experiencecamps.org.
