Lighthouse Retreat Family FAQ's

Where is The Lighthouse?
The retreats are located in the Florida panhandle between Destin and Panama City Beach. We rent houses in several of the beach side communities like Seaside, Rosemary, WaterColor, and Gulf Trace. While the retreats are held in Florida, our office is in Marietta, Georgia – just north of Atlanta.
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What services do you provide?
We provide seaside family retreats for children with cancer. We also host an annual Christmas party in the Atlanta area for retreat families and volunteers. We have a family support team that makes visits to Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite and Eggleston Campuses. As requested, they are also available to pray for the retreat families and/or help retreat families find a Christian church home. We also have many fundraising events throughout the year as well.

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What do we do when we are there? Do we have to participate in the activities?
We have a daily schedule that starts with our beachside devotional in the morning and then continues with a full morning of parents sharing, kids playing, and beach fun. There’s free time after lunch and then an evening activity after dinner. We’ll wrap up before 9pm, so everyone can get plenty of rest. We encourage families to engage in all of our retreat activities. Families who participate are given priority to attend future retreats. Back to top

What if both parents can’t attend the retreat?
We strongly encourage both parents to attend. Since this is a family retreat we want the family to experience this together. If only one parent is available to attend, we suggest you wait until there is a time when the family can attend together.
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What if we have to come late or leave early?
It is very important to arrive on time and stay throughout the retreat. We have designed a program that begins when you arrive and we want you to be able to experience all of the special activities we have planned. Since our space is limited, we give priority to families who can be there for the entire retreat, with all of their family members.
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Can my child bring a friend?
Our program is focused on reconnecting families and renewing relationships with each other. For this reason, we do not allow families to bring friends with them to the retreats.
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What do we need to bring?
We recommend bringing a toothbrush, bathing suit, a pair of flip flops, and something casual to wear for your special night out. We dress for the beach – comfy and casual. You do not need anything fancy. We will provide all of your meals and snacks, beach toys, sunscreen, and beach towels. You will receive a complete list of suggested items to bring in your acceptance letter.
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How much does it cost?
There is no cost to attend the retreat. Your only responsibility is to get to and from the retreat on your own. You may chose to drive or fly to a local airport, which could be either Pensacola or Panama City, Florida. Transportation to and from the airport is your repsonsiblity. You may choose to rent a car or we have negotiated discounted rates with Seacoast Transportation. When you call to scheudle your transportaion mention that you are attending The Lighthouse Family Retreat.

What are the sleeping arrangements at the retreat?
We rent houses (and sometimes they are donated to us for the week) for the families and volunteers. The families stay in houses together – with 1 to 4 families in each house. Each family has their own bedroom(s) and bathroom; common areas are shared. The volunteers stay in separate housing where we cook, eat, and have daily activities.
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If I have to cancel, can I come on another retreat?
If for any reason you realize you can not attend the retreat you are accepted to attend, please notify our office immediately. Every year we have more families apply than we have space for, and we want to give families on our waiting list time to make plans to attend, if an opening becomes available. If you cancel, we will try our best to move you to another retreat.
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What if my child gets sick? Is there medical support at the retreat?
There will be a nurse or physician on every retreat to assist with basic first aid. If your child gets sick, Sacred Heart Hospital in Destin, Florida is minutes away from the retreat sites. If needed, we will coordinate phone calls to your child’s oncology team and go with you to the hospital.
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How do we stay in touch after the retreat is over?
We have an annual Christmas party the first Sunday of December for our retreat families and volunteers. We also stay in touch with visits to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston by our family support team. If you have a prayer need or an update on your child, please contact us.

Coming Soon, you will be able to update your contact information on this website so that you can keep your information current.
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How can I help The Lighthouse?
We understand while your child is on treatment, you need to focus on taking care of each other and getting through the illness. If and when you are interested, we have a few events throughout the year to help raise money and awareness for The Lighthouse. Often times the event sponsors invite/request some of our retreat families to attend the event, like our annual fall golf tournament at St. Ives Country Club or our Day at the Races sponsored by Road Atlanta and Chili Pepper Racing. Also, if you know a church, business or individual who is interested in sponsoring a family ($2,500) please direct them to the website or contact us. Of course, every gift in any amount is important and makes a difference in our ministry.
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Who are the volunteers and what do they do?
The retreats are staffed with volunteers from all walks of life – from past retreat families, to business executives, to stay-at-home moms. While we can not change what you will face when you go home, our volunteers give their vacation time so that you can have a week of rest and fun with your family – without having to worry about “what’s for dinner?” and “who’s going to clean-up?” While there is no cost for the retreat families to attend, the volunteers gladly and generously raise funds to cover their cost to serve at the retreat.
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