Community rallies to help family, classmates after 9-year-old's death in accident

Sep. 5—MIFFLINBURG — Officials from a Mifflinburg-based nonprofit organization that hosts camps for grieving children were brought into the Mifflinburg Area Intermediate School on Wednesday to help students in mourning over the death of a 9-year-old classmate.

Fourth-grade student Joslyn Noelle Flickinger died at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday following hospitalization from a head injury due to an accident involving a fallen tree on Sept. 2. Joslyn is the daughter of Mifflinburg Area Assistant Football Coach Luke Flickinger and his wife, Amanda, and a sibling of three sisters.

"We used art activities to encourage the students to talk about Joslyn," said Lisa Streett-Liebetrau, the founder and executive director of Camp Koala, a nonprofit 501(c)3 public charity. "We're talking about why they're choosing a certain color, why they're making the choices they're making."

Camp Koala was also invited into the school in April when third-grade teacher Larry Hornberger unexpectedly died. Many of Hornberger's students are the same ones grieving now for Joslyn.

Streett-Liebetrau said she learned a lot about Joslyn on Wednesday. She worked with students in Joslyn's grade and students who played soccer, basketball and field hockey with her.

"I learned that her favorite color was teal," she said. "She loved dolphins. She played basketball and soccer. We use gentle prompts to get the kids to talk to one another and share memories. It's been a beautiful day to hear the kids talk about her in wonderful ways."

Joslyn, according to her obituary published in Thursday's edition of The Daily Item, also loved attending Sunday school, helping in the nursery and spending time with friends. She enjoyed traveling to the beach and Canada with her family. Her dream was to swim with dolphins.

"She had a sweet and giving personality and was known for her great smile," the family wrote in her obituary.

Therapeutic art

The therapeutic art led by Camp Koala included writing messages to Joslyn's family on a large card. They made keychains, bracelets and backpack ornaments that included her name and her jersey number — 12— on them. Five stations were set up with different activities, said Streett-Liebetrau.

"I prepared my team that this would be a very hard day," she said. "The atmosphere (on Wednesday) wasn't children crying as much as it was they were happy to be in a safe space to talk about Joslyn and share memories. We prepared for the worst, but it was a positive and supportive environment today."

Helping children grieve

Streett-Liebetrau said the best strategy in helping children grieve is to provide a space for them to talk and play, as well as to let them express whatever emotion they are feeling.

"We shouldn't tell them they shouldn't be feeling a certain way," she said. "Let them feel what they need to feel. Give them plenty of space to talk and plenty of space to play. If they stay in a sad and angry place for too long, it might be time to seek support from a professional."

The people of the Mifflinburg area are supportive, said Streett-Liebetrau.

"This small town community is such an amazing place to grow up," she said. "They will wrap their arms around this family and help them with grieving and help them heal."

Camp Koala is also offering an evening workshop Thursday for students by invitation only at its downtown Mifflinburg support center. There is no cost to attend. Registration is required because they only have room for 20 students.

Emergency services called out

Mifflinburg Hose Company Chief Steve Walter said emergency services were called out at 9:17 p.m. Sept. 2 to Johnson Mill Road in Mazeppa. Joslyn had been visiting friends and climbing trees using ratchet straps, Walter said.

"I'm not sure how it all went down, but one of the trees fell on top of her," said Walter.

Joslyn had a significant head injury. She was transported by William Cameron Engine Company ambulance to the nearby Mazeppa Fire Station, a satellite of the Mifflinburg Hose Company, located along Spruce Run Road, where a landing site was set up for Life Flight, said Walter.

Joslyn was airlifted from the site and transported to Geisinger in Danville where she spent the next few days in a medically-induced coma. A community prayer vigil for Joslyn was held on Sunday night at the soccer fields in front of the Mifflinburg Elementary School where at least 500 people attended, said Walter.

"I was super impressed with the number of people at the prayer vigil," said Walter, who attended with his family. "It was very uplifting and gave folks something to hold on to, a little bit of hope."

Her father and the Buffalo Community Church where the family attended announced on Facebook that Joslyn succumbed to her injuries at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday.

"It's very unfortunate for the family and the community," said Walter. "I know people with children who go to school with her or play on sports teams with her. It affects the firefighters and other people I know. It's a community-wide loss. It's sad when anyone dies, but it hits a little harder when it involves children."

Public fund set up

The Flickingers attended Buffalo Community Church, of Lewisburg. The church had been updating the community about Joslyn's progress throughout the last five days.

The church set up a public fund and a meal train for Joslyn's family. Donations can be given online to a Joslyn fund set up through the church's PayPal and meal donations have been set up through mealtrain.com. Both can be found church's Facebook page.

A fund has also been created at Mifflinburg Bank & Trust to support the Flickinger family. To donate, individuals can go into any Mifflinburg Bank location and ask to donate to the "Flickinger Family Medical Fund" or send a check via mail to: Mifflinburg Bank & Trust Co., 250 E. Chestnut St., Mifflinburg, Pa., 17844. Payable to "Flickinger Family Medical Fund"

The church also said donations can be handed to members Liz Loss or Erin Threet and they will make sure it gets to the bank.

Shamokin offers support

It was announced on the Shamokin Area Athletics Facebook page that students are encouraged to wear Joslyn's favorite color of light blue or teal blue during the football game between Mifflinburg and Shamokin on Friday night at the Mifflinburg stadium. The game on Friday starts at 7 p.m.

The Shamokin Football Boosters are also collecting donations to give to the family on Friday night. They will be collecting at the Hillside Concession stand at the stadium from 7:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday.