SHARE Atlanta Pregnancy and Newborn Loss Grief Support

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SHARE Atlanta's Updates 2005

Dear Friends

October ~ National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

We are approaching the month of October...the month declared as the National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. For over 10 years, SHARE Atlanta has provided various activities and events to support this month. Our Awareness and Advocacy Brochure and information online highlight some of the important issues that we should be encouraging the Pregnancy and Newborn Loss community and the medical community to address and to stay focused on.

MODs' "Walk to Remember"

One example of our advocacy has been our own take on a "Walk to Remember." Each year, we walk and remember our babies while we support the March of Dimes in their WalkAmerica. Over the last few years, these efforts have earned us several awards, but our most cherished reward is to be a part of helping this important organization as it has taken the banner of what our community needs and carried it forward. Their programs are developed to help end difficult pregnancies and the possible outcomes of these pregnancies (such as pregnancy and newborn loss). By the way, I received an MODs' email stating that.they are sending aid for over 100 sick and premature babies transferred to Baton Rouge and supplies to displaced pregnant moms who are in need - as a result of Katrina. That makes me feel very positive.

Awareness and Advocacy Programs

Annually, we plan donation options (our Outreach for Healing programs: Foster Care Shelter, Festival of Trees, and 4B's, and MODs), workshops, and two memorial services. While October provides a focused time each year to highlight awareness and advocacy needs-these issues must be carried throughout the year. Whenever we step up to a project that supports others, we honor our special children as we promote ways to hopefully make the future brighter for ourselves and future families. Our mission is to continue to reach those who need emotional support after a tragic loss of their baby. We also support those who may need medically directed prevention or intervention during a pregnancy.

Helping Hands

In this light, we are in need of willing hands to help us with these projects:

Festival of Trees (***September 21 at 6 pm prior to monthly Women's Meeting: Initial planning meeting with Jersey Mike's subs for supper. (Please RSVP to me so we can purchase the subs.) All who are interested in being part of the planning of this project should join us. If you wish to be a part of the planning group, but can't make this meeting, please let me know. You do not need to join us if your main interest is in donating an ornament(s). For details, see our Fall newsletter or please visit:

Festival of Trees... Click on icon...

Annual Memorial Service, October 23 at 3 pm (info. on site and in newsletter)

Annual Women's Candlelighting, November 17 at 7 pm (info. on site and in newsletter)

4B's Outreach: workshops (info. on site and in newsletter)

Team Leaders for our 2006 MOD's effort

scrapebook workshops

phone people (Take calls from our answering service, and make some calls from your home; get addresses to phone coordinator so she can mail out Parent Packets. - Two week commitment, 2 or 3 times per year.)

an online forum and chatroom

inservice programs (going to hospitals, churches, etc. and telling them how SHARE Atlanta helped you and others)

help with office type work/printing

willing to attend business meetings. These pull together the processes involved in making SHARE Atlanta run smoothly.

For the Memorial Service ~ We need a few additional: readers; helpers in general (set-up and take-down); plates of cookies; and greeters/supporters (before and after). Time allotments: set-up - one hour before; take-down - 30 minutes after; Greeters/supporters - 30 minutes extra before and/or after.

Who Participates in our Memorial Services and Business Side of SHARE Atlanta:

We encourage our newer members to attend our memorial services. Members who have passed their first anniversary and who wish to help can join us in the organization and participation of our programs and business needs. Though, sometimes a parent who is more newly bereaved feels very strongly that s/he would like to be involved in the planning, etc.

Who Participates in our Outreach for Healing Programs (Festival, 4B's, Shelter Donations, MODs):

Anyone can be actively involved in these programs. These often are very healing for the most newly bereaved.

Volunteers/Helping Hands... In General:

We try to fill needs as we realize them. Volunteers help as they can. Some leave for awhile and then return. The time they give depends on what is happening in their lives. We want to make sure those who wish to be a part of what we "do" - are heard from and offered the opportunity to share in our special organization.

So, if you are interested in providing help, please email me and state what options you would like to support. If you can think of some activity that you feel you are uniquely interested in, and it is not listed, let me hear from you. I will take your suggestion to heart and, over the next year (s), we will see how your idea(s) work into our SHARE Atlanta organization. (This is how we grow!)

I also realize that over the last year, we have had two or three offers of help that we have not been able to follow through with - mainly because there has been so many transitions within our group this year. Please bear with us (and me), let me hear from you again and see where we can go from here. And, even if you think I know you are willing, would you please confirm that desire through an email to me:

E-mail Marcia ... thank you.

Coming Together to Heal

Many of our parents have found that it is in the actual "doing" that "healing" takes place. This is truly what a "mutually supportive" group is all about. An email about our activities will go out to over 200 people. If different individuals would pick one project to be a part of, and follow it through for one year (this year or in years to come..) or whatever timeframe the project calls for - those individuals would help keep SHARE Atlanta active and our outreach to bereaved parents a reality. Together we work to heal and to find our path of "what will be." Along the way, we help others as we help ourselves. That is a special gift that we give ourselves in memory of our precious child.

To better understand our programs/options, I have updated the website for fall and the holidays, and I have added the latest newsletter in pdf - Therefore, it is in "color"- online!. Click on icon...

Holidays and Outreach..

Newsletter

Take care,

Marcia, President of SHARE Atlanta

The love stays...forever in our hearts.