Additional Conferences for Summer 2015

There are two other national conferences you can attend beside Compassionate Friends in Dallas that I wrote about last week, plus two regional ones and a Mother’s Day gathering today.

Mother’s Day – Ann and Jim Cook will host the 10^th Annual Now Childless Mother’s Day Brunch today at noon, at their home in Northport, Long Island, New York. Spouses are also welcome. If you live in the area, it is an excellent way to meet other childless parents. Being together gives comfort and camaraderie. If interested in attending, email Ann and Jim at deut3019@verizon.net  or call 631-754-9141 or because of this late notice, contact Ann or Jim and ask them to keep you on their list for the next brunch.

Bereaved Parents USA – A national organization to help bereaved parents, it also holds a national gathering. This summer it is at the Sheraton Hartford Hotel at Bradley Airport July 24-26 in Hartford, CT. Speakers will include Sara Ruble, Deb Carlin Polhill, Scarlett Lewis, Dave Roberts, Kelly Buckley and Bart Sumner, all bereaved parents. The signing choir, "Love In Motion" will perform their inspirational songs of Love, loss and healing through sign language. A sibling program is also included. Parents are encouraged to include their children in the gathering. Call Jodi Norman 703-910-6277 for more details or go to the website: www.bereavedparentsusa.org.

POMC (Parents of Murdered Children) national gathering this year is July 30-Aug. 2, at the JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort, 221 N. Rampart Blvd, in Las Vegas, NV. Room rate is $89 per night. This is a very specialized national organization for those children who have died by violence. Specialized workshops will include: prison life, cultural sensitivity, homocide overseas, understanding the criminal mind, solving cold cases, vicarious trauma and burnout and caring overload, preparing for a parole hearing and many more yet to be announced. There are also many activities to participate in. Contact Dan Levey 480-946-3422 or go to the www.pomc.org website for more information.

There are two regional TCF conferences you may attend. These are much smaller conferences and localized in two sections of the country, one on the east coast and one in the mid-west. October 2-4 is a regional conference in Rochester, MN at the Kahler Grand Hotel. Contact Cathy at 651-459-9341 or email peachy3536@comcast.net for more details. The other regional is Oct. 9-11 in King of Prussia, PA at the Radisson Hotel Valley Forge. Contact Bobbi Milne by email: mcfly423@aol.com for more details. At this conference Kay Bevington, founder and editor of Alive Alone will be doing a seminar for now childless parents.