Hi, my name is Len Booth, and I have been involved with MargaretAnn's Place since January 2000. I first became involved with MargaretAnn's Place as a participant. My sister, LeeEtte, died in a car accident in October 1999, leaving behind her five-year-old daughter, Asia. I always felt a responsibility towards Asia, and now, with the death of her mother, I felt that even more so. My mom, Asia's grandmother, was working at the time and unable to bring Asia to group. I volunteered to do so, which also meant attending the adult caregiver group.

After attending as a family member, I felt directed to give back and participated in the volunteer training in April of 2001 to become a Peer Support Group Facilitator.

It's difficult for me to fully express what I have learned and gained from my experiences with MargaretAnn's Place, just because I have learned and gained so much. I've learned a lot about others' experiences with death, as well as my own. Prior to my sister's death and my subsequent involvement with MAP, I had not experienced the death of anyone whom I was that close to. Although I had three brothers who died before I was born, I was really clueless about how death affects the living. I had no idea how my sister's death - not to mention my brothers' deaths - would affect our family and, more importantly, Asia. I see myself coming into MargaretAnn's Place with blinders on, seeing only my own perspective of my own situation, and walking away "enlightened" by the experiences of others; that's cheesy isn't it?

I have a better understanding of the lives that my mother and father had because I have a better understanding of the affects the deaths of the boys had on their lives. I've gained a lot of respect and admiration for my mother because she had to cope with the death of three sons, and I've learned to understand the life that my father lived was greatly affected by the death of the boys. While he wasn't the typical father for my sisters and me, I understand that his loss had an adverse affect on the relations with other children.

I've learned that while years may pass and time moves on, emotions never fade. I saw it with the death of LeeEtte and how the grief of the boys was renewed for my mother, like it had happened yesterday. I also see it within my own life and the lives of the families that attend MAP.

I've learned that the human spirit is not to be taken lightly, that the strength that my mom was able to muster and show was also that of others. I see that strength in the adults who attend MAP, as they sit with others and share stories of overcoming/dealing with the impossible. I see it in the children as they tell about watching a loved one die a death that no child should ever have to experience. I see it in Debra Smith-Jones, the Executive Director, and the others who work and volunteer at MAP, because they not only have their own losses that they carry with them, but they have freely accepted to carry the losses of others as well.

I've learned that "family" is a relative word and can apply to those with shared experiences as it has with MAP.

I've gained in that I now have a better understanding of who I am and the factors that have contributed to my person. I've gained a sense of compassion and empathy for the experiences of others. Granted, this may have been there the whole time, but I think that MAP has opened it up further. I gain every time I go to a meeting and am able to share in the activities with the children and experience the families as they laugh, cry, share, and help one another. When you're able to see something so positive grow out of something as painful as the deaths of loved ones, I don't see how any can't gain.

I continue volunteering at MAP because I enjoy the experience, and I think that it's a vital piece of our community. The value of MargaretAnn's Place is in everything stated above.

Kate Fuller

My name is Kate Fuller and this is my third year as a volunteer grief facilitator at MargaretAnn's Place. Muhammad Ali said that service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth. That pretty much sums up my belief of giving back to the community.

While I have volunteered for a number of organizations over the past several years, I have a special place in my heart for MargaretAnn's Place.

My mother died when I was ten. She was the glue of our family and her death was difficult on us all. We didn't know how to deal with the emptiness, confusion and sadness that we felt when she died. Instead of sharing these feelings as we do at MAP, we bottled them up and pretended that nothing had happened. Our extended family, our neighbors, our schools and our church were all happy to go along with our isolation and avoidance. It was a confusing time for my family.

As a child I remember vowing to never abandon a child whose parent had died; that I would find a way to help those who suffered as I did. It's no coincidence that I found MargaretAnn's Place.
My experiences at MAP have been extremely rewarding. I have the privilege of working with the adult loss of spouse group. I have learned so much about courage, love, kindness and sorrow. I have listened to countless stories of women and men who speak of being lost and deeply saddened by the death of their spouse, yet every day they find the courage and strength to face the day and provide for their children. It has given me a new perspective on what my Father went through when his wife, the love of his life, died after 28 years of marriage.

As a woman who has experienced the death of her mother at an early age I know one thing for sure: that life is precious and that we must treat each day as though it were the last. To some that may sound morbid or fatalistic. I find it empowering. Death has taught me not to take my life for granted. I am constantly reminded of the importance of treating every one respectfully; to not hold on to petty grudges. I have learned that forgiveness is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal.

My time spent at MargaretAnn's Place renews my spirit and reminds me of the great love and compassion that is so inspiring to the human spirit. I am grateful for this experience.

Tina Schmitz

Those that have suffered through a death of a loved one, understand best the suffering in others. There is an unspoken understanding between the sufferers that comes with empathy, respect, comfort, and bonding of the souls. We don't compare and we don't judge. We know that each survivor story bears it's own pain and cannot be compared to any other's.

Having lost a sister, father and brother to unforeseen death, has brought me closer to the other sufferers out in the world. When I first read the stories of MargaretAnn's Place in the Kenosha News, I immediately felt this sense of belonging and need to help this organization. My compassion went out to the family of MargaretAnn and I knew that I wanted to meet them and help, somehow. Four years ago I had the privilege of meeting Deb Smith-Jones when she stopped at my neighbor's home to drop off envelopes that needed stuffing for an annual fund raiser for MAP. A month or so later I was part of MargaretAnn's extended family. I joined the board of directors and took on various treasurer responsibilities.
More importantly, I became a volunteer facilitator working with the children who attend the group meetings at MAP.

In my mind, there is great satisfaction in knowing that I am helping children cope with one of the most terrifying and horrible events of life - death. No other volunteer activity has ever given me the sense of satisfaction of knowing I am doing good in the world. I'm often asked, "isn't it sad working with the kids?", and I reply that while yes their stories are sad, that knowing I am helping these kids is indescribable. More often than not, I leave a group meeting feeling fulfilled, not sad. This organization does make a difference in the life of a child that lost his or her loved one.

MargaretAnn's Place is truly a safe place where children and their families can come and find comfort, acceptance, and a compassionate ear. Children are free to express themselves through conversation with their peers. Through arts and crafts, the children also express their feelings and emotions.

Please consider how YOU may be a part of the mission of Honoring Grief & Building Hope for the children of MargaretAnn's Place. Arts and craft supplies, along with all the literature MargaretAnn's provides, creates a huge need for operating funds. In addition, the mortgage, utilities and the wonderful part-time staff needs to be paid. MargaretAnn's Place continues to struggle to make ends meet. As a non-profit organization, the need for contributions is enormous. It would be a disgrace to the families who have suffered so much if MargaretAnn's Place did not survive.

Tina Schmitz