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WALKING THIS VALLEY- Tucson Chapter Vol. 39 No. 2 March-April 2021

We’re sorry for the reason you’re here, but we’re glad you’ve found us-Tucson TCF

Tucson Chapter Meetings: Christ Church United Methodist 655 N. Craycroft

Second and Fourth Wednesdays, 7-9pm Mar. 10, 24 Apr. 14, 28 May 12, 26

Times and Dates have not changed, however our format has. Zoom meeting information is

sent via email and is available at tucsontcf.org. Please call (520) 721-8042 with any

questions. We will post on our website and Facebook when we will resume face to face

meetings.

THE GIFT OF SOMEONE WHO LISTENS

Posted on January 15th, 2021

Those of us who have traveled a while Along this path called grief

Need to stop and remember that mile,

That first mile of no relief.

It wasn’t the person with answers Who told us of ways to deal.

It wasn’t the one who talked and talked

That helped us start to heal.

Think of the friends who quietly sat And held our hands in theirs.

The ones who let us talk and talk And hugged away our tears.

We need to always remember

That more than the words we speak, It’s the gift of someone who listens

That most of us desperately seek.

-NANCY MYERHOLTZ TCF Waterville/Toledo, OH

Tucson Chapter

P.O. Box 30733

Tucson, AZ 85751-0733

(520) 721-8042

www.tucsontcf.org

National Headquarters

The Compassionate Friends 48660 Pontiac Trail #930808 Wixom, MI 48393

Toll free (877) 969-0010

www.compassionatefriends.org

Welcome! All bereaved parents, grandparents, and adult siblings are welcome at our support group meetings. Here you will find comfort, caring people, and most of all-HOPE. Coming to the first meeting is hard, but you have nothing to lose and much to gain. For

many it is the first real step toward healing. Although it may seem overwhelming, we encourage you to come to several meetings to give yourself a chance to become comfortable. The hope of The Compassionate Friends is that those who need us would find us and that those that find us would be helped. TCF also provides information to help members be supportive to

each other. We are not professional counselors. We are bereaved families who want to help each other.

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CRISIS HOTLINE INFORMATION

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

1-800-273-8255

Suicide Hotline

1-800-Suicide

Depression & Crisis Hotline 1-800-784-2433

The National Institute for Trauma & Loss in Children (TLC)

1-877-306-5256

Families Anonymous (Addiction/Recovery) 1-800-736-9805

Al-Anon Family Groups (Addiction/Recovery) 1-888-425-2666

Post Partum Depression 1-800-944-4773

Unless expressly stated, the views expressed in articles, poetry, etc. in Walking This Valley are

not necessarily the views of The Compassionate Friends, The Chapter Steering Committee or

the Editorial Team. The Editor reserves the right to edit any contributions.

OTHER TUCSON SUPPORT GROUPS

*Information & Referral Services: http://www.211arizona.org/

*Homicide Survivors, Inc.: 520-740-5729

*FOOTPRINTS-Pregnancy and Infant loss: 520-873-6590

*Tu Nidito/Children to Children: 520-322-9155

*Alive Alone http://www.alivealone.org/ -for parent(s) who have lost their only child

*MISS FOUNDATION http://www.missfoundation.org/

*Survivors of Suicide……. 520-989-0467

Chapter Steering Committee

Leader: Kirsten Bice Co Leader: Kenny Allison

Editor: Diane Allison Contributing Editors: All members- contributions wanted!

Outreach/ Correspondence: Donna Ruboyianes

Facebook: Kirsten Bice, Cat Morrow

Website: Julie Shulick

New Attendee Coordinator/email blasts: Cat Morrow

Library: Debbie Russell

Treasurer: Sharon Farrell

Facilitators: Cindy Walter, Tara/Melissa Chico, Diane/Kenny Allison, Deanna Dillon, Sharon Farrell,

Cat Morrow, Debbie Russell, Donna Ruboyianes

Regional Coordinators:

Barb & Gene Caligari, Chandler, AZ; Denise Dean

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March Birthdays

KRISTIN BAILEY OSWALDO BAKER MITCHELL BARRINGAR PATRICK BENSON RENEE BLANCHARD CHRISTOPHER BREY PAUL BRUMBAUGH STEVEN BURR WENDY CARBONEL RICK CASEJALUR EVAN JACOB CUETO PHILIP GANOTE LAURA GORMAN KALYN MARIE GREGG RICKY M. GRIJALVA JR. MELISSA HEYMERS KYLE HOLBROOK REESE HOTTEN MELISSA LOPEZ RYAN MCCRAY MICHEAL MCDANIEL BRYAN MCLAUGHLIN ERIC MIRANDA GARETH OWEN CASIMIRO MARTIN PALAFOX JARED PATRICK STACY PESSIN GRANT J. PIONTEK HEATHER RAMIREZ JESUS RENE NATHAN TYLER ROBERTS ANTHONY SIGAL MEGHAN TOLLE ROSALINA ISABELLA SAENZ CALUM GAYNOR MORGEN McBRATNEY CHADWICK "CHAD" SPALDING KRISTA ANN VALDEZ BRET RUSSEL ANTHONY JOEL WELLS DORINDA JONAS DEVAUL ALEXANDER "PEANUT" LUPER BRADLEY CHARLES MAPLES DANIELLE MARIT-KALLA DAK SCOT FREDERICK VANTSANT

March Remembrance Days

CHANCE MORGAN ALLISON KRYSTAL ARNOLD MARTHA BATES CHRISTOPHER BAYZE JOSHUA BEDELL RICHARD BLAU DEVANTE CARRANZA KENNETH CHESTER THOMAS CLARK JASMINE COOMBS EVAN JACOB CUETO ANGELA DILLON AUDIANNA MARIE COTA EMILIA F DOYLE KATIE EDMONDS MATTHIAS EDWIN ENLOW WESTON FOARD JIMMIE GANIS ANNA CECELIA GAXIOLA DANIEL HART KYLE HENSON TESSA LEIGH GRIGGS SHAY EMMA HAMMER DANIEL GENE HILL CHERIE HILL ROBERT HORSTMAN JONATHAN KALOS ANDREW INGARGIOLA NICOLE LAJALLEE CHRIS MAIER ALEXANDER "PEANUT" LUPER ZACH MORGAN JOSHUA MOSS MEADOW CENTER MARSTON HEATHER RAMIREZ TYLER SAX MICHEAL MCDANIEL ANTHONY SIGAL PAIGE JAYDEN STOUT MARINA ESTRELLA PALOMO DANIEL TATTRIE MARLA THYE LUIS JAMES TIFFANY KRISTA ANN VALDEZ HOLLY VICKERS CHRISTOPHER VIVIAN GENE WATKINS MORGAN WISE RUSSELL SCOTT NEWSOME

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Upcoming Events:

Fundraising-We will be participating in the Jim Click Raffle. First Place: 2021 Ford

Bronco Sport Badlands Edition. Second Place: 2 First Class Airline Tickets. Third Place

$5000! $25 per ticket or 5 for $100 and all money stays with our chapter.

We can also earn funds through Amazon

Smiles and Fry’s.

Ice Cream Social-We are planning our annual ice cream social for May 1,

2021. Please check our website and Facebook for more information on the location and time.

Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Our next newsletter will be for May/June. I would like to include photos of you with your child. Please submit photos to our chapter email at compassionate.friends.tucson@gmail.com You can send one for each day. Please put captions with the photos. Thank you! Virtual Event “Rising Together In Grief and Hope” an online presentation by David Kessler, Shari O’Loughlin, and David Wood at compassionatefriends.org. Posted on TCF National Facebook Page: The Compassionate Friends Conferences

February 18 at 12:11 PM · Dear Compassionate Friends,

As many of you know, The Compassionate Friends’ 2021 National Conference was scheduled to be held in Detroit, Michigan this July. We have been actively watching national developments and considering the many issues that are

involved for determining how to proceed. As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to have strict restrictions for large gatherings, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the in-person conference in Detroit.

As for 2020 they will have a virtual conference with many workshops,

keynote speakers, and a candle lighting. Save the weekend of July 9-11 to attend.

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April Birthdays KRYSTAL ARNOLD BEN ARRELLIN MARTHA BATES PHILLIP BECKER HUNTER BECKHORN ALLIE BURCH ASHLEY CALLAHAN JOHN CARSTENS ROBERT GLEN CREWS LEAH GOODMAN RICK HAMILTON TRAVIS HEGERLE STACY ANN HEMESATH WILEY HERREN CHERIE HILL JAY JOHNSON DEVIN KAMBER CHARLES JOSEPH KEEN CHRISTOPHER LAWSON RYAN KNOTT DAMIEN MELZER MELISSA QUINN MADONNA DANIEL MERENS SCOTT MILLER MEADOW CENTER MARSTON SCOTT NEVINS MICHAEL PENA JEREMY BRYANT PATRICK KASEY PIKE LUNA SAYURI ROMERO JOE ROMMEL JONATHAN ROSS ARIELLE IRENE RUBEN LUKE RUTHERFORD SUSANN SALMON TYLER SAX JAMES SELBY MATTHEW TESCHNER JAMES THELEN WILLIAM TIDWELL MARCOS RENE TORRES TINA VALENZUELA JULIE ANN VONDERSAAR DELLVON WATSON GAVIN LEE WEBB TONY WINFIELD CHRISTOPHER PAUL (ALAN, JOY) THOMPSON EMILY KATELYN ARRIAYA TORRES

April Remembrance Days AARON THOMAS ATHERTON NANCY BATES DIETZ SUSAN M. BIEGER W. JARED BLAIR NINA BODEN MARK BRIDGEMAN JAMES K. BROWN JR. GORDON BRYAN STEVEN BURR JOE CRAWFORD RACHAEL EDWARDS EBERT S.R. EISSENSTAT D. FRANCES ENRIQUEZ JULEE FRASER MARISA GALLEGO FRANK GARCIA ANGELINA KNOX NANCY KONERTH GAGE LA FONTAINE RICHIE LOPEZ DANIELLE MARIT-KALLA BRIDGET MEMBRILA PANCHITO MEZA AARON MILLER ZACHARY ORMAN LOGAN PALMER STACY PESSIN LIEM MICHAEL O'ROURKE MICHAEL JOHN PADILLA CHRISTOPHER PALACIO KYLE PETTEYS BEN-DAVID PFLUG STEVEN A SCANNELL AARON JAMES "AJ" RACHUY GREGORY RAMIREZ JR. DREDAN SEGUNDO EMILY RACHEL SILVERSTEIN JOSEPH SHIELDS DAVID THORSON RAMES VALENZUELA BRYSE VASQUEZ PETER VELAZQUEZ SAVANNAH GRACE WATSON GAVIN LEE WEBB ALEXANDER WHEATLEY DORINDA JONAS DEVAUL

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Angels Among Us

Our Angels are among us We see them everyday

In all the forms that God created... They are with us along life’s way.

We see them in the sunrise, That brightens and warms our soul. We feel them in the summer breeze

That chases away our cold.

They are there among the flowers... Their sweet scent a memory of love.

They soar with the eagles, As they fly so high above.

The night will find them in the stars,

Lighting our path below. And even in our dreams,

Their presence we’ll still know.

As the snow melts with the sun, And spring flowers peek through their beds,

They come on the wings of butterflies, And flutter about our heads.

They are telling us they are with us, And will be forever more...

Until it’s time for us to meet again, As we pass through heaven’s door.

Jacquelyn M. Comeaux Copyright 2001 Reprinted by permission of author

The Compassionate Friends National:

ONLINE SUPPORT information is available on the National Compassionate Friends

Website at www.compassionatefriends.org. (NationalOffice@compassionatefriends.org) The Compassionate Friends offers “virtual chapters” through an Online Support Community

(live chats). This program was established to encourage connecting and sharing among parents,

grandparents, and siblings (over the age of 18) grieving the death of a child. The rooms supply

support, encouragement, and friendship. The friendly atmosphere encourages conversation

among friends; friends who understand the emotions you’re experiencing. There are general

bereavement sessions as well as more specific sessions.

FACEBOOK GROUPS

The Compassionate Friends offers a variety of private Facebook Groups. These pages are

moderated by bereaved parents, siblings, or grandparents, and may not be accessed unless a

request to join is approved by a moderator. Please click on the link next to the group you wish to

join and answer the screening questions so we can confirm your request. If you are waiting

approval, please message one of the administrators. Join requests to our Facebook groups must

be requested personally, therefore when you wish to share the group with someone please pass

along the link to the group.

Remembrance Cards To receive remembrance cards for your loved ones birthday month and the death anniversary month, sign-up with your complete information, for the memorial book (https://www.compassionatefriends.org/find-support/to-the-newly-bereaved/).

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Day Dreams

Sometimes I wander to a distant corner of my mind

Where I find myself in a place so serene That I can erase today’s pain and sadness

And there I’ll just dream

I imagine I’m so near you and watching As you’re doing all the things little Angels do

You are so happy and so beautiful With your snow white wings and halos too

This wondrous place you’re in is heaven

Warm with love and nestled in the rainbow’s array Your softness and heavenly glow is a joy to see

As you play and sing praises to the Lord each day

I see you cradled in the Master’s loving arms I imagine your eternal bliss and glory

Where in this place you have no burdens And each day you tell the Lord’s great story

I’ll dream of your beautiful mansion Beside the streets paved with gold

Standing on the banks of the river of life What a beautiful sight to behold

All these things dwell somewhere

deep within my mind Taking me so far away

from all my sadness and grief I can only believe that while in these

secret moments My little Angels are sending me this blessed relief

Macy and Loral, I know you feel my presence As my mind drifts into this distant somewhere I can hear your sweet Angel voices singing

“MeMaw and PawPaw, we’ll be waiting for you up here”

PawPaw

Donald Moyers TCF Galveston County, TX

In Memory of Macy and Loral

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A National self-help, non-profit organization for families who have

experienced the death of a child

THE TUCSON CHAPTER

P.O. 30733

Tucson, AZ 85751-0733

Return Service Requested

All I Need to Know

I’m beginning to know your children From the things I’ve heard you tell,

From the pictures that you’ve brought here I think I know them well

Our hurt and sorrow are immense I’m not sure where to start.

Compassion after all is Your pain in my heart.

My thanks to you for listening To words wrung from my soul.

We are The Compassionate Friends That’s all I need to know.

Jack Brown TCF Louisville

March-April 2021

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage

Paid

Tucson, AZ

Permit No. 2296