(860) 688-9621
Supporting grieving children & families since 1996
A Registered 501 (c)3 Nonprofit Organization
860-688-9621
6 Poquonock Avenue, Windsor, CT 06095
Behind The Scenes at Mary's Place!
Stay tuned and get to know more about those who help us carry out our important mission!
Meet Pat!
Q: Why did you choose Mary’s Place when you decided you wanted to give back?
A: Being newly retired, I wanted to do something meaningful. Also, I had facilitated groups in my professional work.
Q: What are your strengths when working with children?
A: I love being with young people and I feel they sense how much I enjoy them.
Q: What has been your favorite project or event at Mary’s Place?
A: The Memory Walk because it unites us in a common purpose.
Q: What has grief taught you?
A: Grief has taught me that there are no answers to “Why?” or “Why me?”but only the support of others to help us along the way.
Meet Barbara!
Pat joined Mary's Place years ago and continues to be a dedicated volunteer. She is married and lives in Windsor, CT. She has two very loving sons and daughter in laws and has four grandchildren who make her feel blessed everyday. Before recently retiring, she worked as a teacher and a mental health therapist.
Barbara joined the Board of Directors in 2017 but had volunteered often prior at several events. She lives in Somers, CT where she started the playground committee which resulted in three playgrounds being redone. She has a daughter Danielle who is a junior at UConn and two rescue dogs named Cody and Bailey.
Q: Why did you choose Mary’s Place when you decided to give back?
A: Mary’s Place was an important part of our grief process when my husband died suddenly in 2003. It was our honor to volunteer and give back to Mary’s Place - to help others in their grief process.
Q: What are your strengths working with the children of Mary’s Place or in the area of volunteerism that you serve?
A: I try reaching out to the community to inform them about the existence of Mary’s Place, to help when the community is grieving, and for fundraising.
Q: What has been your favorite project or event at Mary’s Place?
A: Messages From The Heart. It has been so rewarding to help and hear from our school community. It is a need that Mary’s Place has experience with and can assist with.
Q: What has grief taught you?
A: Everyone grieves differently. There is no timeframe to grief. There is no right or wrong way to grieve.
Meet Bruce!
Bruce McCormick has been a Volunteer Facilitator in our big kids group since 2015, working with kids ages 10-12.
We asked Bruce a few questions about his volunteer experience at Mary’s Place:
Q: Why did you choose Mary’s Place when you decided you wanted to give back?
A: “I wanted to show love to kids just as I was shown when I was a child.”
Q: What are your strengths working with the children ?
A: “I’m a caring and compassionate person and great listener for the needs of kids through difficult times.”
Q: What has been your favorite project or event ?
A: “Designing Halloween pumpkins.”
Q: What has grief taught you?
A: “Everyone needs someone to talk to and understand them and I’m glad I was able to be that special someone at Mary’s Place!”
Meet Adele!
Adele Clark worked for 33 years as a Public Day Services Supervisor with the Dept. of Developmental Services. Nearing her retirement she knew she wanted to give back in an extraordinary way. “I knew I wanted to volunteer my time working with children. There was an article in my church bulletin stating that Mary’s Place was looking for volunteers. After reading the article it just ‘felt right’.”
Adele is a Volunteer Facilitator in our little kids group with children ages 3-7. She has been a faithful volunteer since 2015 companioning kids along their grief journeys at Mary’s Place. Adele’s son Matthew, her dog Jack and reading are among the loves of her life. Fun fact; she has always wanted to learn how to tap dance.
Q: What are your strengths in working with the children?
A:“ My being present ‘in the moment’ with the individual/individuals that I’m working with...I hope that in doing so I can bring a sense of validation to that child and their feelings.”
Q: What has been your favorite project or event at Mary's Place?
A: "My favorite event is the butterfly release. It's my favorite because to me each butterfly represents that person's stage in their journey through the grieving process.
Q: What has grief taught you?
A: “ Grief has taught me to be patient—not only with others, but myself. There is a poem that I think expresses this perfectly.”
Grief
By Gwen Flowers
I had my own notion of grief.
I thought it was a sad time
That followed the death of someone you love. And you had to push through it
To get to the other side.
But I’m learning there is no other side. There is no pushing through.
But rather,
There is absorption. Adjustment. Acceptance. And grief is not something that you complete. But rather you endure.
Grief is not a task to finish, And move on. But an element of yourself –
An alteration of your being.
A new way of seeing.
A new definition of self
