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Kids Who Kare | Child and Teen Bereavement Program (December 2004)
For the Love of Christi is proud of its seventeenth year of service
to bereaved individuals and families. The Kids Who Kare Program
(KWK) has been a special part of For the Love of Christi since its
inception in 1993. Parents realized that they needed something for
their children as well as for themselves. Susan Cox, Executive Director,
of For the Love of Christi, began the program for children with
only 10 kids and volunteer facilitators. Since the beginning of
KWK, 900 children have been given a guiding hand in the midst of
their very difficult grief process. Over the years, the wonderful
efforts of Susan Cox, Volunteer Youth Directors Dave Disko and Carolyn
Curry, and volunteer Youth Coordinators Tina
Wagner and Nat Lane, produced a strong and loving program for bereaved
children
and their families.
In April of 2001, Jacquelyn Janisch took the role of Youth Director
for the program. Her heart and vivacious personality have added
so much to the children’s group. Current youth facilitators,
Dave and Lou Seideman, are irreplaceable as the children love them
dearly.
The work of many loving individuals over the years has created a
program that ensures no child will be forgotten.
Build-A-Bear Memory Party
An activity the KWK members enjoyed this past year as a “beary”
special Build- A-Bear party at Barton Creek Mall. The children created
bears in memory of their loved ones. Some children even chose to
place a special object that belonged to their loved one inside of
their bear.
The workshop was a meaningful time for both the children and adults.
Every detail of the bears represented something unique about their
loved one from the outfit they chose to the angel wings on their
back. Each child had an opportunity to share their bear and stories
about the one whose memory it represented. We had gardening bears,
Hawaiian bears, baseball bears and sparkly princess bears. These
memory bears will always be a reminder
of their loved one and special times together.
The Princesses’ and the Pea
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There were no peas under these princesses’
mattresses but after their day of fun, these tiara laden ladies
slept happily ever after. |
The annual Kids Who Kare retreat is a beloved tradition at For
the Love of Christi. It gives the children an opportunity to be
kids again, to meet others and form lasting friendships, and to
grow through their grief. The retreat provides a wonderful balance
of outdoor activities, fun, quality sharing time, and grief work.
At one retreat, the littlest girls made friends quickly after finding
out one major thing they all had in common-they were all princesses.
All of the youth who attend these retreats enjoy time together in
their cabins with peers, discussion groups, an art therapy project,
a talent show, games, a memorial bonfire, and a closing balloon
release. Camp Champions Retreat has become a new favorite place
to hold our annual retreats. With waterslides, kayaks, hiking, and
every sport imaginable, the campers never tire.
Kids Who Kare Goes Hollywood with their
Music Therapy Program
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Our Superstars signed autographs and passed
out copies of their CD's to their fans. The program was made
possible by a one time grant from the National Academy of the
Recording Arts and Sciences. |
On a special April evening, KWK music therapy participants walked
down the red carpet to accept their “grammy” awards.
Each participant had the opportunity to share their song with their
adoring fans. The CD release party represented months of hard work
and soul searching. Dr. Patricia Stuart assisted each child in this
journey of making music out of
memories. Her rich background of composing, songwriting, and performing,
as well as licensure as a psychologist specializing in grief counseling,
made her the perfect person for the job. Through the process of
songwriting, children were able to define and express their emotions
about their loved one(s) and their memories. Under Dr. Stuart’s
guidance, the children wrote and recorded their songs onto CDs.
The CD release party was the culmination of the music therapy process.
The children received awards, shared their story, and signed autographs.
The evening ended with a toast to the stars (sparkling apple juice)
and hors d’oeuvres.
Pumpkins, and Goblins, and Angels - Oh My!
The annual For the Love of Christi Halloween party is something
the children look forward to all year long. From our costume contest
and candy-filled piñata, to the spooky, kooky tattoo parlor,
there is something for every member of the family. The event allows
families to come together to enjoy a safe and funfilled evening.
KWK volunteers and resident chefs, Lou and Kate Seideman, always
come up with creative treats for the children. This year, the children
were able to make their own caramel apple creations choosing from
candies and toppings fit for a king, or a cowboy or little ghoul!
There were prizes given for just about every kind of costume because
here at For the Love of Christi, everyone is special and unique
and deserving of love.
DEAR SANTA ……
For the past two years, KWK members have enjoyed not only the
annual Christmas party festivities, but a special visit from some
very unique creatures. Miniature therapy ponies from the organization,
Hearts and Hooves, have stolen the spotlight from Santa. These
“minis,” as they are called,travel around to area
hospitals and schools bringing healing and joy to sick and saddened
hearts. In addition to these heartwarming animals, Dave Seideman
and his band provided beautiful Christmas music which kept party
goers “rockin’ around the Christmas tree” all
evening long. Food, gingerbread-house-making, and gifts from Santa
completed the holiday celebration.
Kids Who Kare Adds Teen Program
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Teen group members prepare for a panel presentation
on "Helping children and adolescents cope with grief" to students
attending the annual Peer Assistance and Leadership Conference
(PALS) at Akins High School in South Austin. Several of the
students attending came up to the panel members afterwards and
shared their stories. |
For the Love of Christi added a separate support group meeting
just for teenagers ages thirteen to seventeen in September of 2002.
Originally, children five to seventeen all met as part of the KWK
program. As the program grew, the need to give bereaved teens their
own time and space became imminent.
For teenagers, the grief process can be especially trying. Losing
a loved one during the fragile period of adolescence can leave young
adults feeling alone in a social sphere where everyone is trying
to be alike. The teen group brings young adults who have experienced
loss together to share their feelings, fears, and memories. Young
adults learn how to manage and express their feelings in a healthy
and productive manner while realizing that they are not alone in
their experience or their pain.
For the Love of Christi provides retreats, support group meetings,
and youth group activities for teenagers as a means to heal and
grow and become a source of strength to others. Young adults even
have the opportunity to aid the organization in educating the community
on the needs of the bereaved. Teens help serve on panels doing grief
presentations to churches, schools, and businesses. There is great
healing in being able to share your story with others so that they
may go on to better help themselves and
the bereaved.
First Ever “Good Grief” Teen Retreat
On November 6, 2004, For the Love of Christi hosted the first ever
Teen Retreat. It was a dream come true for hosts, Dave and Lou Seideman.
The Seidemans came to the Center in 2001 after losing their seventeen-year-old
son, Charlie, in a car accident. After Charlie’s death, Dave
had a vision to create a beautiful retreat hideaway in memory of
his precious son. “Charlie’s Place” would be a
quiet, relaxing retreat for both youth and adults. A place where
they could come to enjoy nature and be uplifted again.
“Charlie’s Place” became a reality this year.
Nestled in Angel Rock Cove on Lake Buchanan, the retreat getaway
provided teens with time to reflect and bond with other teens who
have lost a loved one. They fished, went boating, played games,
shared in discussion groups, and enjoyed Lou’s infamous cooking.
The teens also had an opportunity to plant trees in memory of their
loved ones. Urban Forrester, Emsud Horozovic, of Round Rock Parks
and Recreation donated eight beautiful trees to be used for the
retreat. His generosity and love for the organization enabled several
young adults to create living legacies for those they had lost.
The evening before, the teens wrote letters to their departed loved
ones. These letters were then planted in the ground with the trees.
Special thanks to Emsud Horozovic and Dale Ricklefs with United
Way Greater Williamson County, for helping the young adults plant
these memorial trees. Many of the trees are estimated to grow to
be eighty feet. The young adults were thrilled that years from now
their trees will be standing tall, keeping guard over “Charlie’s
Place” and all the hearts that will be healed there.
Charlie will never be forgotten. The love that Dave and Lou Seideman
continue to share with the Christi Center as facilitators for the
adult, teen, and children’s groups and the joy they have brought
to the lives of hurting individuals will keep Charlie alive always.
How has For Love of Christi helped hurting children?
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Drawing by Kids Who Kare member, Katarina Cortez (12), in memory of her
Father. Katarina's advice to children who have experienced a death: "Never let
someone put you down about your loved one." Katarina came to the Christi
Center in November of 2002 when she was ten years old. She now helps other
children in group talk about their losses. |
“It has helped me express my feelings and helped me with
the loss of my Dad. I feel comfortable in a place where I won’t
get laughed at because of my Dad’s death and where nobody
will tease me because they have suffered through the same thing.
I like going to For the Love of Christi and now I feel better!“
-Leticia Hernandez, age 9
“My Uncle died because he got shot. This has helped me because
it helps me talk
about him. A lot of times I tell people he died and they ask me
how. I used to not tell them but since I come to this group, I
do talk about him. I feel better now because of coming here.”
-Taylor Wooten, age 10
“I think For the Love of Christi is fun. It helps me that
I can have fun still even
when my Dad is gone because he will always want me to have fun.”
-Adam Reyes, age 11
“My Mom died of cancer. I remember she played games with
me. She used to be funny just like me. This has helped me by talking
about her. I feel good
remembering her.”
-Mackenzie Clark, age 9
Retreat Fun!
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| Kids Who Kare members and their
families enjoy a picnic at the Center. |
ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, GO! Children
line up to run the kids 1K in memory of their loved ones at
the Annual Memorial Run/Walk. |
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| Camp Counselors kicked off the
talent show with their own version of YMCA. |
The teen boys get a photo op
with Camp Champions Event Director, Peter, at the ropes course. |
“YMCA”—But Better!
F-T-L-O-C
(For the Love of Christi)
Hey there-when you’re down and you’re low-
There is somewhere-that you really should go-
They know just how– it is that you feel-
They can start to help you heal….
There’s Jackie, and the Kids Who Kare-
They will help you-they will always be there-
Hearts in action-lots of fun sports, and crafts…
It’s a ma-jor cool attraction
(bum, bum, bum, bum,)
The place to be is F-T-L-O-C
Means the world to me F-T-L-O-C
You can share everything-your fears and your joys-
You can hang out with cool girls and boys
F-T-L-O-C
F-T-L-O-C
It means the world to me!!!!
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