Welcome

Hello and welcome to the new blog site for Share of Northeast Louisiana. Share is a support group for parents who have suffered the heartbreaking loss of a baby due to miscarriage, stillbirth, newborn death or during the first few months of life. We are a chapter of National Share that has been supporting families for over thirty years.My name is Colleen Howard. I started the local chapter of this wonderful organization in 2002. Since then several parents and a grandparent who attend the meetings helped make it possible for our small group to grow and do things I never dreamed possible. We held our first Annual Walk for Remembrance and Hope in 2007. Although small, it turned out to be a day that is etched into our hearts forever. In the same year we became incorporated and aquired non-profit status. In doing so, it opened doors for our group to fulfill even more goals. Share of Northeast Louisiana holds meetings at least once a month. Parents, grandparents and other family members or friends (excluding children) are welcomed by other bereaved parents. Here we are able to share our grief and find a support system so that parents can deal with their loss. I know firsthand and from working with others that it makes a profound difference when hearts open and heal with the help of those who truly understand. Our group also provides grief packets to area hospitals, women's clinics and funeral homes so that bereaved parents are immediately made aware of our support group. We never want a parent to need support and not know where to turn. If you or someone you know has lost a baby and would like to talk to one of our members or attend our meetings, please email me at ColleenH38@aol.com. Our meetings are held on the second Monday of each month but we are available at other times as well. Colleen

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Angel of Hope



One of the goals of Share of Northeast Louisiana is to raise the money to buy one of the beautiful Angel of Hope statues. The Angel will be a place for parents who have lost a child of any age to go to for remembrance, peace and hope. The Christmas Box Angel statue was introduced to the world in the book The Christmas Box, a worldwide best seller and hit television movie by author Richard Paul Evans. In the book, a woman mourns the loss of her child at the base of an angel monument. Though the book is mostly fictional, the angel monument once existed but is speculated to have been destroyed. The new angel statue was commissioned by Richard Paul Evans, in response to reports that grieving parents were seeking out the angel as a place to grieve and heal. Many Share groups, including our National Share, have the angel statue in their area. Each year on December 6th, there is a candle light vigil held for parents at each statue around the country. Our group will be holding various fundraising events and accepting donations so that we may have an Angel of Hope in Northeast Louisiana. Donations can be made at Cross Keys Bank in Monroe to the "Angel of Hope Fund".

Posted by at 4:57 AM

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)