Volunteer Profile – Kelly Drover

Age:

38

How many camps have you attended?

I’m about to attend my fourth

Why do you volunteer for Feel the Magic^®?

I lost my husband suddenly and unexpectedly, and having a young child of my own, was faced with the challenge of dealing with my own loss and devastation whilst supporting my son at the same time with his heartbreak. I wanted to use my experience to give back to others and to be able to make a difference in the lives of grieving children and it actually proved to be quite cathartic for my grief journey.

What is your favourite season and why?

Summer! It’s so rewarding on the final day of Camp seeing the growth in the Campers and watching them celebrate and share what they have learnt with their fellow campers and families.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve heard about grief?

Grief is not linear. Grief is real. It’s unavoidable and part of human life. And we don’t need to suppress it in order to survive it.

What inspires you about our campers?

Watching these children who have experienced such devastation coming to Camp and living out the Feel the Magic values….growing together, empathising with each other, empowering each other and connecting with each other. They are so brave and their strength is something that I really admire.

A final note from Kelly:

I’ve had the honour of attending Camp Magic not only as a Mentor but also as a Parent when my son James attended. It has been a life-changing experience, watching my campers grow and being able to witness the benefits of them attending camp, but it has also being a great way for my son and me to learn new tools and communicate in the same language when dealing with our emotions and grief journey. The Feel the Magic community feels like a second family to us now.