Regional/National Conferences

TCF regional and national conferences are now being set up for all those interested in attending. Below is some of the preliminary information. Contact Compassionate Friends for more information on these three conferences.


REGIONAL CONFERENCES OF TCF

TCF regional conferences offer a rewarding opportunity to share an intimate time with families that have also experienced the death of a child and are seeking ways to learn more about the common path on which we walk. Regional conferences are generally held three to four times a year around the country by local chapters, or groups of TCF chapters. The content of regional conferences will vary greatly as planners try to provide a comfortable and pleasant learning and sharing experience for all who attend. Most regional conferences have workshops of some type and quite often a special speaker and other planned events. Usually 50-200 people will attend most TCF regional conferences compared to 1200 or more for TCF’s annual national conference.



Frankfort, Kentucky Regional Conference: March 25-26, 2011 has the theme "Words of Wisdom, Hearts of Love." Speakers will include: Compassionate Friends Executive Director Patricia Loder; Past TCF Board President Patrick Malone; Singer, entertainer Alan Pedersen; Grief expert and popular TCF workshop presenter Mitch Carmody; and Two Star General Mark Graham of the United States Army.
There will be a number of workshops including: First 2 Years; Reinvesting in Life; For Men Only; For Women Only; How Have I Changed; Anger & Guilt; Depression vs. Grief; Death by Violent Crime; Sudden Death. There will also be workshops to help strengthen TCF Chapters.


Nebraska Regional Conference: April 1-2, 2011. Speakers, presenters include: Internationally known grief speaker Darcie Sims; Past member of TCF's Board of Directors, John Stanley; Creator of The Birdhouse Project, Kris Munsch; Popular author and TCF workshop presenter Mitch Carmody. Entertainment will be provided by Alan Pedersen, a good friend of TCF and currently involved in "The Angels Across the USA Tour."
There will be a number of workshops including: The Healing Power of Ritual; Grief and Marriage; Death of a Teenager; Suicide Workshop; For Parents who are now Childless; Commitment to Survival; Moving on-What does the other side of grief look like?; Finding Hope in the Midst of Despair; Spirituality Panel; Infant Loss; Murder; Sudden Accidental Death Panel; How Do Men Grieve; Faces of Grief; and Stress Reduction.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF TCF
TCF's 34th National Conference will be held in Minneapolis/St. Paul July 15-17, 2011 at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel. You will find it to be another great conference with around 100 workshops, sharing sessions, special keynote speakers at the Opening, Closing and Friday Afternoon and Saturday Evening banquets, Hospitality Room, Butterfly Room, Reflection Room, a completely stocked bookstore, special Friday evening entertainment and a Remembrance Candle Lighting. TCF's Walk to Remember will be held Sunday morning. Theme of the conference is "Sharing Stars, Guiding Hope."


Special rates will be available for those staying at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel, although room reservations for those attending the conference will not be taken until January, 2011. Watch here for a notice plus the start of online registration, first for hotel rooms and later for the conference itself.

Bereaved Parents USA and Parents of Murdered Children will also hold national conferences summer 2011. Go to these .com web sites for more information.