The Story of Camp Lloyd
Camp Lloyd began as a dream of Illene Noppe, a professor of Human Development at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. After learning about grief camps at a conference of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, she wanted to develop such a camp, designed to help grieving children in Green Bay. In this camp, the children would learn that grief is normal and that it is okay to still act like kids and have fun. This idea became a passion for Illene through the inspiration of her husband, Lloyd Noppe (also a professor at UW-Green Bay). Dr. Lloyd Noppe lost his father at a very young age. Illene believes that had a camp like this existed for Lloyd he would have greatly benefited from knowing that other children were dealing with similar situations and emotions. Through conversations with her colleague and friend Lisa DeSieno, who is the Director of Outreach at a Green Bay hospice, Unity, she found that there were others who had the some goal of making this camp a reality. Out of these conversations came a partnership between Unity and the University of Wisconsin Green Bay that helped to create Camp Lloyd.
The Mission of Camp Lloyd
The Mission of Camp Lloyd is to provide a safe and fun environment for children who are grieving the loss of a loved one. We want grieving children to know that they are not alone in their grief and that grief is normal. Our hope is that children find help, healing, and hope at Camp Lloyd.
The Staff of Camp Lloyd
Administrative Staff
Lisa De Sieno, MSE, LPC, has been with Unity since 1993 and is the Director of Outreach.
"My job is to oversee Unity’s community outreach efforts and the bereavement program. I hold a master's degree in counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and am a licensed professional counselor. My professional activities include being a member of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization bereavement steering committee and an advisory board member of the UW-Green Bay Institute of Dying, Death and Bereavement. I am also certified as a trainer for Education in Palliative and End-of-Life Care (EPEC). During my experiences with Unity I have done individual counseling, grief group facilitation for adults, parents, teens and children, provided memorializing opportunities, and presented at numerous conferences and workshops on issues of grief and loss."
My name is Illene Noppe. I grew up in
the Bronx, New York, and received my PhD from the Educational Psychology Department of Temple University in 1979. I came to UW-Green Bay in January of 1984, where I teach a variety of courses about different aspects of the human life span. Early in my career, I tried a little experiment by offering Death: The Final Stage of Life, the first
time such a course was taught at UW-Green Bay. Since then, this course has been offered at least one semester every year.
I have co-authored a Life Span Human Development textbook, have published and presented my research on infants’ attachments to their caregivers in childcare centers, adolescent bereavement, gender issues in death and dying, death in child care centers, and adolescent responses to the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. I am an active member of the Association of Death Education and Counseling, where I currently am the Editor of The Forum, its quarterly newsletter/journal, and founded (along with Outreach and Extension) the Institute of Dying, Death, and Bereavement. I am deeply indebted to my wonderful colleagues in Human Development, and my family, whose patient support have been the sources of my inspiration and achievement. In my miniscule spare time I enjoy running, swimming, knitting, playing the piano, reading, cooking, and eating!
My name is Michelle Joy Taczala Miller. I live in Sheboygan, Wisconsin with my husband Aaron. We have been married since June of 2005. I have one brother named Adam and a fish named Shark Bait 2 (Shark Bait 1 died). I graduated from UW-Green Bay with degrees in Human Development, Psychology, and Women’s Studies! While I was a Senior at UW-Green Bay, I did an internship for an entire year that was devoted to developing and planning Camp Lloyd. I plan to attend graduate school for a Master’s Degree in Community Mental Health. I love working with children and being around people! I am a very outgoing person. I enjoy walking, going to church, cleaning,
and spending time with my husband. I also love to scrap book,
knit, and watch Gilmore Girls over and over again.
Counselor/Interns
Camp Lloyd counselors will be recruited from Human Development/Psychology majors and minors. These students will be allowed to participate in helping with the camp for a 3 credit internship after successfully completing a course in death and dying and camp training sessions. Students are not grief counselors but are selected on the basis of their motivation, maturity and sensitivity to children who are in difficult circumstances. Most counselor/interns have aspirations to go on in the counseling field. Additional staff will be grief counselors and volunteers from Unity.
It is the goal of Camp Lloyd to “buddy up” one counselor intern for each camper. Many activities will take place on a group basis, but the special attention and devotion of buddies to their special camper is an important feature of our camp.
Camp Lloyd Activities
Camp Lloyd will have many exciting summer activities. Each day there will be one grief related activity (our “Healing Circles”) in which all of the campers will participate in. Other activities will include:
- Music
- Arts and Crafts
- Gym Games
- Hiking
- Cooking
- Swimming at the Phoenix Sports Center pool
Camp Lloyd Location
Camp will take place at the Ecumenical Center located on the UW-Green Bay campus. This roomy facility will be our “home base.” In addition, the university campus, with its six miles of arboretum trails, proximity to the bay, and athletic fields will provide outside space where campers can play gym games and run around!
Camp Lloyd Fees
The cost per camper will be $35 for the week per each camper. If there is more then one child attending Camp Lloyd from the same family there will be a family rate of $50.00 per family. Scholarships are available on a need basis.
Make checks payable to UWGB-Camp Lloyd. Send payment to UWGB-Camp Lloyd, 2420 Nicolet Drive, Mac C310, Green Bay WI 54311-7001.
Camp Lloyd in the News
Camp Lloyd was featured in the Green Bay Press Gazette in a article titled "Camp Helps Grieving Kids Cope" and also "Camp guides kids through grieving".