For organizations such as our Centre, which does not receive government funding or charge a fee for service, these friends are vital partners ... ones without which we could not keep out doors open to the 180+ children who rely on us each year.
Recently, we had the delightful experience of receiving an outdoor makeover via members of the Greater Barrie Home Builders Association, our grief 'buddies' and friends of the Centre.
This summer, our buddies and staff got together on a weekend or two and painted the Centre's three porches and trim. As well, a group of supporters and past and present staff met at Huronia Art Glass and created a beautiful stained glass sign for our home.
And over the course of a week, recently, the GBHBA orchestrated a backyard makeover. Trucks rolled up to 38 McDonald St., leveled the ground, brought in soil, poured cement and even craned in a large gazebo/storage building! Many members of the GBHBA came out to provide their particular expertise to each aspect of the makeover. In fact, an e-mail went out one morning asking for help placing the gazebo on its cement pad and 18 people showed up!
All this was done so that our kids would have a safe and comfortable place to chat, plant flowers and play with our grief 'buddies,' as well as providing much needed storage for such eclectic fund-raising props such as props for our Annual Halloween Haunt and "Big Head' costumes for our barbecues!
Our honourary chairperson, Jason McCoy once wrote a poignant song about Ten Million Teardrops. I am not sure if that would be an accurate estimate of the number that have been shed here at the Centre over its 11-year history, but I do know that the GBHBA and all of our supporters deserve ten million "thank yous" from everyone here at Grieving Children at Seasons Centre for helping to replace those tears with smiles!
- Susan Laycock is the executive director of Grieving Children at Seasons Centre. Contact her at Susan@grievingchildren.com.
