Dear Compassionate Friend:
As we face the new year with its hopes and fears, promises and challenges, remember “We need not walk alone, we are The Compassionate Friends”. We hope that you will join us at one or more of our activities or events in 2016.
1. Sharing Circles – 3rd Tuesday
Our Circles will continue on the third Tuesday of each month at The Olde Forge Community Resource Centre. The next meetings will be on January 19th, February 16th, March 15th and April 19th. There are no fees to attend any of our events or activities and no need to register in advance. For directions and a map, please visit our Chapter website www.tcfottawa.net.
2. Worldwide Candle Lighting Celebration
Our 17th annual celebration was held at the Ron Kolbus Centre in Britannia Park on December 13th. It was well attended and we are planning next year’s event at the same location. If you have any comments on the event or suggestions for readings or music to be included in the program, or if you would like to help with organization, please reply to this e-mail.
3. “Rebuilding Shattered Lives”
The Ottawa Chapter of Canadian Parents of Murdered Children (CPOMC) will be conducting their 8-week program in March and April. If you are or know of a survivor of a homicide victim in the National Capital Region who you think could benefit from this program, please contact Gary Lindfield at the CPOMC office at 613-492-1978 or before February 10th for further details. There is no charge for this program.
4. The Butterfly Garden at CHEO
While gardening may be far from mind at this time of year, our CHEO Butterfly Garden Committee has been meeting on a regular basis to plan next year’s projects which include improving public awareness. The attached display panel will be installed in the Garden next Spring along with information posters and brochures distributed inside the hospital.
We are also making arrangements for an original painting donated by TCF member Louise Bérubé commemorating the annual Balloon Release to be hung by the entrance to the Gary Cardiff wing. Mark your calendar for the next Balloon Release at The Butterfly Garden in late June.
5. TCF Canada National Organization
The Board of TCF Canada is in the early stages of planning a national conference to be held in Medicine Hat AB in 2017. If you are interested in helping to plan or organize this event, please reply to this e-mail.
6. Chapter Website and Facebook Page
Should the cold weather deter you from going out, remember that you can stay in touch through our website and Facebook page. On Facebook, look for “The Compassionate Friends Ottawa Chapter” to read and post messages and comments.
Our website (www.tcfottawa.net) has links to many resources, including newsletters from other Chapters with readings, poems and comments from others on their grief journey. Our library (which is available at the Sharing Meetings) contains many books, pamphlets and DVDs that parents have found helpful. Request Information Leaflets through the “Contact Us” link. To include your child on the ‘Remembering our Children” page, simply click on the link. And if you would like simply to talk to someone, look under “Find a Friend”.
7. Unsubscribe
If you would like to be removed from our mailing list, please reply to this e-mail.
Thank you for your support.
With best wishes for a peaceful 2016,
Andy Bond
The Compassionate Friends, Ottawa Chapter
http://www.tcfottawa.net
Kevin’s Dad
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