Why did ATRU start HTHTA?
Hands Together, Heart to Art was formed from personal experience. ATRU Executive Director Brett Batterson unexpectedly lost his father to a heart attack when he was seven years old. He experienced many of the classic symptoms of grief and had a difficult time expressing those feelings to others as he did not know any classmates who had also experienced the death of a parent. However, Brett found an outlet for his emotions in his participation in theater, as well as a supportive group of friends. In addition, he gained self-confidence and learned to express himself without fear of ridicule. As the seven year old boy grew into a successful arts leader, he created this camp to help other children discover the healing power of creative play, find others who have experienced a similar loss, have access to qualified counselors and listen to the stories of adults who lost a parent as a child. Through these experiences, the children will come to see that they, too, have stories to share. While
