Good Grief

In 1984, America was buzzing with music hits like Cindy Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called to Say I Love You." Ironically, many couples were calling to say I don't love you. Divorce was rampant in the early 80's and my family wasn't exempt.

Mom was worried about my little brother and me, so she enrolled us in a group counseling program. Most kids in the group were just like me - dealing with a divorce or separation. To use a car accident analogy, my parents' divorce was like a fender bender. Some kids in the group experienced more disruptive events that would equate to a more serious, but survivable car accident.

As we discussed our stories, one girl was reluctant to share with the group. She eventually became comfortable enough to discuss her situation. She was not a victim of divorce like the rest of us. Her mom had suffered from depression and alcoholism. One night, she used a shotgun to end her life.

To use the car accident analogy, she had been hit head-on by an 18-wheeler. Divorce was a serious issue, but it was nothing compared to the death of a parent.

Each year, the Nebraska Chapter of ARMA supports a local charity. This year, we selected Charlie Brown's Kids, an organization in Lincoln, NE that is all about "good grief." It is a group for kids ages 3-18 that have lost a parent. Group leaders and volunteers help children through the grieving process and provide opportunities to capture and preserve memories of their parents through discussion, art, writing and storytelling.

We are providing several opportunities for our members to support Charlie Brown's Kids:

* Donate Wish List Items (copy paper, colored paper, card stock, banner paper, markers, small plastic containers, large plastic totes, file folders, notebooks, staples, scissors, paper clips, etc.). Last donation date via ARMA is December 9th.

* Donate a gift (must be gift-wrapped) for our live auction on December 9th. It can be something lying around the house or something store-bought, your choice. Half the fun of the auction is seeing the crazy variety of gift items.

* Bid on a gift. Again, it might be a really nice gift or it may be something that was lying around someone's house. Last year, I bid $35 on a gift and it turned out to be a $50 gift card. The Nebraska Chapter will match all auction proceeds up to $500, so please bid generously.

Dealing with the death of a parent is a long, difficult process. With the help of Charlie Brown's Kids, children can cope with such a life changing event and move on with their lives. After all, girls just wanna have fun!