ATTENTION!!! OUR MEETINGS HAVE CHANGED TO THE 3RD MONDAY OF EACH MONTH
Meeting Dates and Topics
Our meetings are held at First Lutheran Church, 811 South Ave. W. in Clear Lake, WI.
Due to current situation, meetings subject to change. Please call if concerns or check website or Facebook for updates. Kathy will also post on her facebook page.
Monday, November 20, 2023 at 7:00 pm ~ Handling the Holidays
Sunday, December 10, 2023 at 6:30 pm ~ Worldwide Candle Lighting Program (see below)
Monday, January 15, 2023 at 7:00 pm ~ After the Holidays ~ A New Year
***Please note no regular Monday meeting in December***
We do not necessarily stay on the meeting topic. Whatever it is you would like or need to talk about, we are here to do that. We are willing to discuss anything that is on your mind or in your heart.
Please check this webpage, Facebook, or call for any meeting changes. We will also try reaching out by email if there is some change. If you are not able to attend in person we encourage you to use the TCF websites and as always we are just a phone call away.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This is YOUR group and we are here to support each other. Our meetings are open to bereaved parents, adult siblings, grandparents, or adult family members such as aunts or uncles. We hope you will find our meetings and newsletters to be a comfort, a place where tears are allowed, no judgments are made, and, in time, that you can once again find hope and meaning in life.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tri-County Chapter of The Compassionate Friends
Holiday Tree
Lights of Love & Remembrance
The Tri-County chapter of The Compassionate Friends will again be sponsoring a holiday remembrance tree. This tree lighting will take place Dec. 10, 2023 as part of the Compassionate Friends World Wide Candle Lighting Program. The tree will be located at the Clear Lake Main Street Park. This tree will be a remembrance during the holiday season, to all loved ones, not just children. White bulbs will be used to remember all those who are no longer with us this holiday season. Blue bulbs will be used to honor our loved ones. If you are interested in purchasing a bulb(s) in honor of or in memory of loved ones, please return the form below.
Holiday Remembrance Tree
I would like to purchase ______ bulb(s) at $3.00 each
In Memory of ______________________________________________________
In Honor of________________________________________________________
Given by_________________________________________________________
Include these names in publications regarding this event. Yes No
Checks may be made out to The Tri- County Chapter of TCF
Return by Dec 3, 2023 to
The Tri-County Chapter of TCF 511 5th Street Clear Lake, Wi. 54005
For more information call 715-263-2739, 715-491-3944, or on website
This is our annual fundraiser that supports our chapter activities & expenses.
**************************************************************************************************************************
Please join us, as we remember
The Tri-County Chapter of The Compassionate Friends
as part of the
TCF Worldwide Candle Lighting
Sunday, December 10, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.
First Lutheran Church 811 South Ave W. Clear Lake, WI
We encourage all bereaved parents, siblings, grandparents, extended family members and friends to join us at this special remembrance program. This is a time set aside for us to lovingly remember the lives of our precious children who are painfully absent this holiday season. By remembering them with caring and understanding family and friends, this annual program has proven to be a source of strength in helping us handle the holiday season.
You need not have attended a meeting previously.
You are more than welcome to join us for this special night. This program consists of music, readings and we will light candles to remember all of our precious children
This is the 23rd year we will be joining with the world in this event. People around the world will light candles at 7:00 p.m. beginning in Australia. As candles burn down in one time zone, they are lit in the in the next, creating a 24-hour wave of light encircling the globe for all children who have died.
Candles will be provided for the program. You are encouraged to bring a picture or remembrance of your child for the memory table. If you have a special candle you would like to place next to your child’s picture, you are welcome to do so. Anyone who wishes to can bring a favorite snack or treat to share in their child’s memory for the time of sharing following the program. This is not required-- only if you would like to.
For the candle lighting program we have a power point video made with pictures of our children to show during the program. We would like to include all of our precious children so we are asking that you mail/e-mail or give us a picture of your child, grandchild or sibling. Pictures should be 4x6 to wallet size.
We request that pictures be turned in by Dec. 3, 2023.
If you gave us a picture previously, we can use that one.
We hope you can be with us, but if you cannot, please light a candle
wherever you are for your child and all our children who left too soon.
To post a memorial for your child on Dec. 10 or for more information go to
www.compassionatefriends.org
We will also again be lighting a holiday remembrance tree to honor our loved ones this holiday season. If you would like to purchase a bulb in memory or in honor of a loved one,please let us know before Dec. 3. Order forms in the newsletter or from the web site
For more information or to RSVP, call Kathy or Brian at 715-263-2739, 715-491-3944
or at [email protected] or on our web site at tcftri-county.weebly.com
STORM CANCELLATION WILL BE ON OUR WEB PAGE,
LOCAL RADIO OR CALL US IF QUESTIONS.
Please note: No regular meeting on Dec. 18
Please Come Back
Very often our most difficult job is to get a newly bereaved parent to come to their second and third meetings. Does this seem strange? It’s really not strange. It is common for a newly bereaved parent to come to their first meeting with Great Expectations: They’ve heard that TCF can get them over their terrible pain and depression and loneliness and guilt and anger and all of the other faces of grief. So they come to that first meeting expecting to go home and at least feel better, if not “cured”. Instead, they meet other parents who are still coping forms of grief months and even years. Perhaps they did not notice there were some parents there who were doing “OK”and may even have been laughing and talking of the future. The bottom line for these newly bereaved, however, is that they went home from the meeting feeling worse than when they came. If you fit this description, give us another try. You will probably find, like we did, that each meeting uncovers a piece of the puzzle of life after the death of a child. It may take several meetings, but hopefully you will find the road to recovery like we did. Hopefully, also, you will find friends, who will not only help you get through this most awful period of you life, but will be there with you to face the future. (taken from tcf frankfort ky newsletter)
Very often our most difficult job is to get a newly bereaved parent to come to their second and third meetings. Does this seem strange? It’s really not strange. It is common for a newly bereaved parent to come to their first meeting with Great Expectations: They’ve heard that TCF can get them over their terrible pain and depression and loneliness and guilt and anger and all of the other faces of grief. So they come to that first meeting expecting to go home and at least feel better, if not “cured”. Instead, they meet other parents who are still coping forms of grief months and even years. Perhaps they did not notice there were some parents there who were doing “OK”and may even have been laughing and talking of the future. The bottom line for these newly bereaved, however, is that they went home from the meeting feeling worse than when they came. If you fit this description, give us another try. You will probably find, like we did, that each meeting uncovers a piece of the puzzle of life after the death of a child. It may take several meetings, but hopefully you will find the road to recovery like we did. Hopefully, also, you will find friends, who will not only help you get through this most awful period of you life, but will be there with you to face the future. (taken from tcf frankfort ky newsletter)