Grief support brunch scheduled

The Jamestown Area Grief Support Team is hosting a “Good Mourning” Brunch at 10 a.m. Saturday, at the Farmer’s Union Insurance Building, 1415 12th Ave. SE.

Special guest speaker Jeanne Putman, grief recovery specialist, will speak on coping with grief, beginning to heal and how people can help others manage their grief. Putnam has been the aftercare specialist at Joseph Vertin and Sons Funeral Home, Breckenridge, Minn., since 1999. She earned her certification as grief recovery specialist from the Grief Recovery Institute of California and through the National Institute for Trauma and Loss, Detroit, Mich.

Putman is a trauma specialist as well as a trauma and loss consultant. She also holds a certification in pastoral care. Putnam has facilitated a Grief Support Group for widows/widowers since 1999. She leads a group for those who have lost children and has been responsible for an annual event, “Cherish the Child”... A Memorial Garden and a Walk to Remember.

When asked why she has dedicated her life to grief work, her reply was, “The journey of grief can be made a little easier when you know you have someone who understands and supports you. I want to be that person who is there to help families go through these difficult days. I have been there and it is much easier when you have someone next to you that understands or just listens to you.”

Kathy Vandeberghe, JAGST member, will share her personal experience of loss and what the grieving process has been like for her.

The Jamestown Area Grief Support Team has been working in the community since 2002 and offers support to those who have experienced the death of a loved one. JAGST offers educational programs, grief support groups, a yearly service of remembrance and an annual weekend Widow’s Retreat.

The brunch is free of charge but tickets are required. To request a ticket, contact Rita at 952-1932 or Carol at 252-2842.

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