Posts Tagged ‘Families’

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Stay Beautiful club night @ Purple Turtle, Camden, London UK 4th October 2008

Community rallies support for burned out Riverkern families
Valerie CassitySpecial to the Sun The Kern Valley is known for its generous spirit. Friends and neighbors come to each other’s aid when they’re in need.
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Midlife Maggie awaits fate
Maggie Cheung Man-yuk, in Venice for the screening of Isaac Julien’s art film Better Life, has all but shunned the cameras since becoming in 2004 the first Asian actress to win at Cannes.
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Outreach To Survivor Families – FMWRC – US Army – 100811


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PHOTO CAPTION: GETTING READY- Redstone Arsenal’s Survivor Outreach Services coordinator Emily McFall puts some finishing touches on wall art from Shel Silverstein’s "The Giving Tree." The wall art decorates the children’s area in the new SOS headquarters at Army Community Service. With her is Sue Paddock, director of ACS, which is the organization within Family and Morale Welfare and Recreation that is overseeing the SOS program. A ribbon cutting and open house for the new SOS headquarters will take place in about a month. (Photo by Kari Hawkins, USAG Redstone)

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Outreach To Survivor Families

Aug 11, 2010
By Kari Hawkins, USAG Redstone

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. — When it comes to the families of fallen Soldiers, the Army is standing up to a responsibility to watch over these survivors of war’s devastation as long as support is needed.

That’s no different at Redstone Arsenal, where recent staff and facility additions will make a difference in the level of support Army Community Service can provide family members coping with their loss while hoping for a better future.

Locally, the ACS program – known Armywide as Survivor Outreach Services or SOS – is headed by someone whose heart has experienced its own loss of a beloved Soldier. The coordinator is Emily McFall, the widow of Staff Sgt. Tom McFall, who died in Iraq in 2007 from wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device detonated during a dismounted patrol.

It is a job McFall cherishes because of what it stands for – the Army wrapping its arms around family members living with their loss and providing them with the support they need to go on with their lives, the chance for her to personally affect positive change in the lives of mourning families, and the ability to provide these families with a safe haven to work out their issues and face their challenges.

"We want to give them a place where they can share their stories," McFall said of the surviving families. "We want to give them a place where they know they are accepted and they know they will be understood. This is a place where they can relate to others who know what they are going through. This is very rewarding to me. I need to put my efforts into something like this that allows me to reach out to other families."

McFall is unique to the Army’s SOS program because of her own experience with the loss of her Soldier husband. Most of the Army’s SOS coordinators are program or human resource managers or counselors who haven’t experienced a direct loss. McFall’s experience brings a personal perspective to Redstone’s SOS program while also relying on her management skills as a former Soldier to build the program.

"This is about helping widows and widowers, and their children and their extended families find a group that will support them through all the things that happen when you lose your Soldier. This is about giving them a place where people aren’t scared to talk to them," McFall said.

She has experienced that fear. She has seen it in the eyes of other military wives who worry about losing their own husbands to war. And, surprisingly, she has seen that fear in the eyes of some of the new friends she has made in Hartselle since moving there a few years ago.

"I am their worst nightmare. I represent someone they could be," McFall said. "There was one lady at my church who was not very nice to me and seemed distant. I finally asked her what the problem was. She told me her husband is a police officer and said ‘You are my greatest fear.’ So, even in this new place that is not attached to a large Soldier base, I can be someone’s nightmare. It was sort of eye opening."

Survivor Outreach Services is a joint effort between the Installation Management Command and its Family and Morale Welfare and Recreation and Army Community Service, and the Human Resources Command’s Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operation Center. It is represented at all major Army installations and at some smaller installations. Nationally, it can be reached through the Army OneSource website at myarmyonesource.com (select Family Programs, then Surviving Families). Locally, SOS can be reached by calling 876-5397.

The Redstone SOS program provides assistance to families in Madison, Morgan, Limestone, Lauderdale, Marshall, Jackson, Cullman, Franklin, Lawrence, DeKalb and Colbert counties, but also reaches into other counties that are closer to Redstone than the sister SOS program at Fort Rucker.

In late August or early September, ACS will open its SOS headquarters facility, attached to its building on Redeye Road. It is hoped this facility will become a second home to surviving family members who need access to support, information and services, who want to belong to survivor support groups and who want opportunities to bring their family together with other survivor families.

In a way, McFall’s association as the local SOS coordinator stems from a support group started in 2008 at Bicentennial Chapel. The survivor group – known as My Soldier, My Fallen Hero – still comes together on Tuesday mornings at 10 a.m. to talk about their experiences and to lend support to each other. The group was started by three widows: McFall, Tiffany Little and Jenna Henderson.

"We know there are 22 other widows out there who may want our support. We suspect there are even more in our area," McFall said. "We want to reach out to these widows and their families. We want them to know we are here when they want our support."

Reaching out to these families is tough. Some don’t want to be found. Some don’t want to talk about their loss. Some don’t want to be associated with a survivor group or with the military. The point is not to force these survivors, but to be there when those "don’ts" turn into "wants" and "have tos."

"Everybody grieves in their own way and in their own time," McFall said. "We want to make sure they know about us when they do need us."

McFall has seen that within her own children – Austin, now a rising college student; Elizabeth, a fifth-grader; and Matthew, a first-grader.

"They are doing good," McFall said. "This is the busiest summer we’ve ever had. We’ve been visiting friends at other posts. Both Austin and Elizabeth are pretty quiet about their dad. But Matthew talks about him all the time. When he hears a certain song on the radio, usually a country song, he will say ‘I miss dad’ or ‘That song reminds me of dad.’

"They are happy. But I can see the hurt in their eyes when other dads are around or when we are with other military families. They want to do things with their dad – they want to wrestle with him and be with him. We are blessed, though, because we know families and Soldiers who do try to help them and be there for them."

McFall talks with her children a lot about their dad. She stays in contact with her in-laws. She likes to talk about Tom McFall to anyone who wants to hear about him.

"I try to reinforce the memories with my kids. I want to keep him alive," said McFall, who met Tom McFall when they both served in the Army.

"In our society, it’s sort of taboo to talk about the deceased. But I love talking about him. I still want people to know about him and to know who he was, and about the kind of things he did and even the dumb things he did. He was a great person and I want others to know about him. That keeps him alive for me. The more I talk about him, the better it is for me."

The McFall family also remembers their beloved Soldier in other ways. The initials mTm – for Thomas Michael McFall – are now tattooed to the inside of McFall’s right wrist. Her son Austin has also gotten a tattoo – an eagle on the back of his shoulder – to remind him of his dad.

Besides growing their widow support group, McFall would also like to see SOS offer support groups for siblings and other family members. The SOS headquarters will have a Hall of Remembrance, a play area for children, an office for meetings and support counseling, and a comfortable living area for hanging out and relaxing, and for group meetings. Social events for surviving families are being planned for the next year as the SOS program ramps up, with a ribbon cutting and open house set for the SOS facility opening, and a family picnic set for late September at the Col. Carroll Hudson Recreation Area. Anyone wanting to donate materials and supplies for the SOS headquarters can call ACS at 876-5397.

The SOS program is sending out letters to surviving families telling them about its services and activities. Letters about SOS are also being sent to churches in the 11 county area.

"We are hoping surviving families will join us," McFall said. "They are usually hesitant about that. When we contact them they ask us things like ‘What do you want from me?’ and ‘Why haven’t you been here sooner?’ They can be anxious about their association with us. Some go all the way back to 2001 and they are done with the grieving, they’ve worked to put it all away and they don’t want to revisit it. So, all we can do is make them aware of the program and then hope they will contact us when they need support.

"Our door is open to these families. Now we’ve got to get the word out so they know about us."

Contemplative


Image by squishband
in 1984 I took these pictures to accompany a magazine article about dying in a hospice.

I was very moved by the people I met, both staff and residents.

It was a very enlightening experience and went some way towards providing me with a more stable and complete reference with which to work when it comes to my own mortality.

I don’t remember the names of these people, neither the living nor the dead; but I offer these pictures in honour of both.

A Hospice is a place that people with terminal illnesses go to be cared for until their death.

From Wikipedia: Hospice, program of humane and supportive care for the terminally ill and their families; the term also applies to a professional facility that provides care to dying patients who can no longer be cared for at home. Hospice is an alternative to hospitalization that emphasizes home care for as long as possible; relief from pain; an attractive, noninstitutional environment if the patient can no longer be cared for at home; and personal and family counseling. The hospice movement was pioneered by Dr. Cicely Saunders, founder of St. Christopher’s Hospice (opened 1967), London, and furthered by Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s work with the dying.

The Hospice in my pictures is the Marie Curie Hospice, Hampstead

Social Lodges


Image by Chazz Layne
The important role of social lodges in the Telluride community is one of the untold stories of early life in the San Juans. As mining families settled in Telluride, social lodges emerged. Some clubs were local chapters of national organizations, such as The Woodsman of America. Many, like Bridal Veil Lodge, are unique to Telluride and were often named after regional landmarks. Other well remembered lodges include Knights of Pythias, Cornet Falls, Eagles, Maccabees and Foresters of America. Many residents were associated with a variety of social lodges. By 1905 over 20 active clubs existed in town.

The lodges were primarily segregated by gender. In some cases, the clubs had affiliated male and female chapters. In addition, it was common for a lodge to have a juniors’ division for children of members.

Lodges served as important centers of social exchange. Recreational opportunities were always available for members. Activities ranged from dinners and dances to plays and outings. Regular organizational meetings were also held to discuss local concerns and issues.

The lodges were extended families for their members. They assisted in family counseling, employment opportunities and health care. Members enjoyed a reliable source of support much like that provided by a big family.

Lodges were also forums of political activity. They provided an environment for political debate and discussion. Local and statewide candidates often pursued lodge endorsements as a vehicle for success. In Telluride, these clubs used their power and influence to shape the goals and directives of the community.

Today a small number of social lodges remain. The Elks, Rebekahs, Oddfellows, Eastern Star and Masons are the last vestige of a Telluride institution.

Intimate Relationships, Marriages, and Families

This comprehensive introduction to marriage and the family combines the most current research base with an emphasis on family background and diversity. It presents a positive perspective on families and focuses on the importance of public and social policy in the lives of families. Each chapter concludes with a section on public policy and critical thinking questions. The text makes research and statistics easy for students to follow and understand, and it integrates cultural diversity throughou

Rating: (out of 3 reviews)

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Freeing Our Families from Perfectionism

Perfectionism is not about doing our best. It’s about feeling that we’re never good enough–a burden that takes a heavy toll. In this ground-breaking book, psychologist and therapist, Thomas Greenspon, describes a healing process for transforming perfectionism into healthy living practices and self-acceptance.
List Price: 15.99
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mental health carers eBay auctions you should keep an eye on:

Guide to Mental Health for Families and Carers of Peopl

US $53.67 End Date: Monday Sep-06-2010 23:01:31 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $53.67 Buy it now | Add to watch list

The fastest-growing group among local homeless: families
Parents with children are the fastest-growing yet least-visible segment of the homeless population, far more likely to be doubled up in the homes of friends or living in their cars than to be at a busy intersection asking for help.
Read more on Seattle Times

Women in Agriculture and Small Business Conference set for Oct. 14 to 15
Oklahoma Oklahoma’s Statewide Women in Agriculture and Small Business Conference will take place Oct. 14 to 15 at the Moore-Norman Technology Center. “The focus of the two-day conference is to provide the latest information on topics that empower women to solve issues and concerns of importance to them, their families and communities,” said Damona Doye, Oklahoma State University Cooperative …
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Broomfield Enterprise upcoming events — Aug. 29
Upcoming events in and around Broomfield
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Families We Choose – Lesbians, Gays, Kinship (Revised Edition) (Paper Only)

Buy and sell [Families We Choose - Lesbians, Gays, Kinship (Revised Edition) (Paper Only)] at great prices.
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Price: 12.4

Lakeview Health Systems

Pompano Beach, FL (Vocus) March 2, 2010

Lakeview Health Systems, a Florida based drug and alcohol rehabilitation center, announces the launch of its Recovery 2.0 Social Media Campaign, targeting addicts in recovery, families of addicts, and treatment professionals that use the social networks Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube.

“We, at Lakeview Health Systems, believe that addiction can happen to anyone, anywhere. So we have to decided to make sure there is support, and educational tools for whomever, wherever they might be,” said Robyne Wilkerson, Internet Marketing Director. “We wanted to create a safe haven online, in addition to our 24 hour call center, so that whenever a person or their loved one is ready to take the first step to recovery, we are here to help them through it.”

Twitter is a real-time short messaging service whereby people follow the sources most relevant to them. Recovering addicts can find inspirational quotes, links to blog posts and other recovery resources at Drug Recovery Now Twitter Page. Families of addicts can find support, dialogue with staff, and read testaments of others in like situations at twitter.com/friendnrecovery. Treatment Professionals and those interested in the Lakeview Health Group can find information at twitter.com/lakeviewhealth.

Facebook is a social utility that helps people communicate more efficiently with their friends, family and coworkers and Lakeview Health Systems can be found on Facebook at Lakeview Health Systems Facebook Fan Page.

Youtube is the world’s most popular video community, allowing millions of people to discover, watch and share originally created videos. Lakeview Health Systems has a question and answers section, testimonial videos, and a tour of their campus when you visit: Lakeview Health Systems Youtube Page

About Lakeview Health Systems

Lakeview Health Systems is a recognized drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment center that was distinguished by receiving the Gold Seal of Approval by the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Health Organizations for its outstanding care in the areas of alcohol rehabilitation, drug rehab and dual diagnosis treatment. The team at Lakeview Health Systems has been helping people restore their lives after the disease of addiction for a combined 25 years.

For additional information on the Lakeview Health Systems’ drug rehabilitation program, alcohol rehab or dual diagnosis treatment center or for admission to our addiction treatment facility, please call us toll free at, 1-866-657-4357 or visit their website: lakeviewhealth.com.

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Reunion briefings prepare Families for Soldiers’ return – FMWRC – US Army – 100819


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Reunion briefings prepare Families for Soldiers’ return

Aug 19, 2010

By Jennifer Hartwig (3rd Infantry Division Ft Stewart)

FORT STEWART, Ga. – Soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division have begun to return to Fort Stewart, Hunter Army Airfield and Kelley Hill at Fort Benning, after a year-long deployment. The initial reunion is full of hugs and happiness, but learning to be a Family again takes a lot of work.

There are always questions – will my Soldier be different? Will my Soldier still love and need me? Will my Soldier want to spend more time with battle buddies than his Family? When will things feel like normal again?

Whether a Family is going through the redeployment process for the first time or the fourth time, these questions are normal and come up with each deployment, according to Linda Moseley, Stewart-Hunter Army Community Service Mobilization and Deployment Manager.

Even if you’ve been to a Family reunion briefing in the past, Moseley said it is important to attend before your Soldier returns home this time, as well.

"We’ve been through so many deployments as a division so these Families, a lot of them, have been here for quite a few deployments," Moseley said. "But I think our approach now is multi-faceted – we’re offering so many more services through the new resiliency training, the new programs that are available through ACS. We’re using other programs and services as well as re-created a series of additional programs. ‘I think before it was simply a briefing and that was it."

Moseley said that this time around, there are many topics discussed in the briefings, and programs offered by ACS, that weren’t available in previous years.

"We talk more about intimacy and the relationship; we talk more about connections and connectivity between you and your spouse; and we talk more openly and freely about household problems," she said. "In the past, we’ve addressed domestic abuse or perhaps traumatic brain injury or PTSD, but [this time] we’re making it so it’s simply understood by every Family – that if you notice a change in your Soldier or yourself, then it’s easily identifiable, and you can seek help early on."

Each unit that is deployed has or will offer 9 or10 Family reunion briefings once the unit is within the 90-day window of returning.

The briefing touches on many of the major questions people have, and gives those in attendance tips on how to make the reintegration process less problematic.

The briefing, given by Moseley or another ACS mobilization and deployment specialist, teaches Family Members to have realistic expectations about how life will be once their Soldier returns, and to talk about what your expectations are before the Soldier comes home.

"Families have to get used to each other again," Moseley said. "Expect that things will be different than they were prior to the deployment."

One spouse, who attended a Family reunion briefing, July 23, was anxious to learn what to expect when her spouse returns from their first deployment as a couple.

"We’re learning how to cope with our spouses once they get back; the dos and the don’ts," said Frankie Andrews, wife of Command Sgt. Maj. Jesse Andrews, 3rd ID command sergeant major. Though it is not Command Sgt. Maj. Andrew’s first deployment, it is the first he and Frankie have been through together. "We’re learning the different symptoms our spouse may have; how to deal with drinking, anger, dealing with their children. We (each) need to be a good, understanding spouse; we need to be patient."

The briefing deals with health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse and depression, and how to recognize those symptoms in both your Soldier and yourself. Also discussed is how to deal with sharing of experiences – what do you do if your Soldier tells you too much? How do you deal with your Soldier if he or she won’t talk about their experiences at all? Moseley said that you need to work it out as a couple – discuss how much you want to know, and also realize that, though you don’t know their experiences for the past year, they don’t know yours, either. It will take time to adjust to being together day-to-day again, she said.

For those with children, ACS is offering – for the first time – child-specific programs during this time of readjustment leading up to the return of the 3rd ID Soldiers, including Sgt. Rocky’s Neighborhood, a puppet show that helps children deal with issues in an age-appropriate setting.

"We haven’t had many child-specific programs in the past, and this [redeployment] we have the Sgt. Rocky program, and for the first time we’re incorporating pets into the household," Moseley said. "A child receives and copes differently and so when we have these animated characters that come to life the parents enjoy how the material is presented and the children seem to absorb it better."

For one spouse, the topic of children was one that is especially important in her Family.

"(The topic) most important to me is I think the interaction with our Soldiers and children," said Cassandra Spaans, who has a five-year-old daughter with husband Sgt. Dean Spaans, Headquarters and Headquarters Services Company, Division Special Troops Battallion, 3rd ID. "I know how to deal with myself; sometimes you just don’t know how to deal with the emotions of the child and how they’re going to interact with the spouse and Daddy coming back."

Sergeant Spaans has been deployed for two-and-a-half of the past three years.

"This briefing isn’t just because that your spouse is coming back, it’s also giving information on how to deal with being separated for a year, and how to mold your lives back together," said Cassandra, who is the HHSC Family Readiness Group leader. "We’ve been living our separate lives, and we need to get back together, and this [briefing] is actually giving us ideas on how to do that."

Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield ACS is offering workshops for the 90-, 60- and 30-day intervals before homecoming. The ACS mobilization and deployment specialists want to ensure that everyone realizes that reintegration is a process for the Family as a whole.

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School supply donations sought for struggling families
MONTROSE — Local families that struggle to put food on the table are hard-pressed to spend $ 60 to $ 80 on a child’s school supplies, not counting fees for sports and other activities.
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Local appointed to Colorado suicide prevention organization
MONTROSE — Montrose and the Western Slope will gain extra representation now that Montrose’s Juliet Carr has been appointed to the board of the Suicide Prevention Coalition.
Read more on Montrose Daily Press