CIRCLE OF TAPAWINGO

For Prospective Camper Families, Referring Agencies, and Professionals

Our Program

hen a young girl's parent dies, her childhood is forever altered. Huge challenges lie ahead of her as she confronts a life that is suddenly very different from what it used to be.

Circle of Tapawingo is a unique program that offers a week of traditional overnight camp to girls who have experienced the death of a parent. By spending time with other girls who understand, Circle campers feel less alone in their loss.

The program's youngest campers are entering third grade, and the oldest are entering seventh. Campers live in bunks, each with eight campers and three counselors, and participate in a full program of waterfront, arts and crafts, land sports, drama, and nature activities. A carefully planned schedule keeps the girls busy from breakfast until bedtime.

During the course of the week, there are several structured opportunities for campers to share and rework their stories of loss. Under the guidance of a professional, each bunk comes together in a "Circle Time". This offers every girl a chance to share memories of her deceased parent with her bunkmates. Crafts projects allow girls to memorialize their parents. Later in the week, there is an evening campfire that focuses on the theme of loss. A service held on the final morning of camp is especially meaningful as all campers and counselors place a personally inscribed rock in a memory garden. And, throughout the week, there are spontaneous conversations - in the bunks, on walks down to the lake, during rehearsal for the Talent Show - that help campers feel supported and connected to each other.

Despite the sadness that is present in these girls' lives, the days at Circle of Tapawingo are typically filled with smiling, laughing and singing. Circle offers its campers a time to play.

Facts About Circle of Tapawingo

• Circle of Tapawingo held its first program in August, 2002. It takes place at Camp Tapawingo, a private, overnight girls camp that has been in operation since 1919. Circle has its own program, staff, and organizational structure.
• Many Circle counselors attended Camp Tapawingo as campers, but most importantly, our volunteer counselors are adults of all ages who love children, love camp, and are excited to offer their time.
• All of our counselors participate in a grief training program led by a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in grief work.
• A licensed nurse and a nursing assistant are at camp fulltime. The Bridgeton hospital is eight miles from camp.
• Our waterfront is staffed by certified lifeguards at all times, and we follow the American Camping Association's waterfront safety regulations.
• We provide transportation between camp and both Newton, Massachusetts, and Bridgton, Maine.
• The program is entirely cost-free.

Our Referral Process

Our referrals come from grief agencies, hospices, healthcare facilities and professionals, and directly from parents and relatives who have heard about the program. Prospective campers and parents/guardians are interviewed either in person or on the phone.

If you have a camper referral, please call: Cathy Spear, LICSW, Director of Camper Services, at 781-820-3388 or email her at:

To learn more about our program, click on any of the links below.

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