Pittsburgh Chapter News

New Members

We welcome the new  friends who have attended their first Compassionate Friends meeting recently. We are truly sorry that you have to experienced the death of your child, sibling or grandchild. We sincerely hope that we will be able to offer you some understanding and support. You are not required to talk unless you fell you have something you would like to share with us about your child.

Please try to come at least THREE or FOUR meetings so that we can offer you help and hope: 

REMEMBER - YOU NEED NOT WALK ALONE!!!

Compassionate Employer Recognition Award

TCF is eager to recognize employers who have shown a high degree of compassion to families that have experienced the death of a child. Nominations for the 2009 Compassionate Employer Recognition (CER) awards must be received via the online form or postmarked by midnight EST November 30, 2009. Recognized employers will be announced in February 2010. A copy of nomination form can be obtained from the Compassionate Friends website at www.thecompassionatefriends.org or by calling the national office.

Faith Savasta, a member of our TCF - Pittsburgh Chapter  since February 2, 1993, when her daughter, Faith Ann died in a car accident. Faith nominated her employer, Sewickley Valley Hospital, for the Compassionate Employer Recognition Award. The National TCF Committee recognized 31 organizations across the USA for this award. Dave Golebiwski, one of our co-leaders of the TCF Pittsburgh chapter and as a representative fro the National office and on behalf of Faith, presented the Employer Recognition Award to Sewickley Valley Hospital on June 23, 2005 for being a fine example where the workers are treated as individuals and not just numbers.

Dave, in the presentation of the Award, said, "Such an event goes against the natural order of life whereby a parent nurtures a child into adulthood to carry on in the world. Once of the most difficult situations being a newly bereaved parent is returning to the workplace. Many employers will provide 3 to 5 days of bereavement leave and then expect a person to work and be back to their old selves." Faith is one of the few bereaved parents who have received support and understanding from her employer and co-workers. She stated "I am forever grateful to the Administration and employees of Sewickley Valley Hospital. Without the empathy, compassionate support and patience of these people, I would not be where I am today - a person who has gained strength of character, perseverance, resiliency, gentleness, empathy and compassion."

Area Leaders needed

We are in need of volunteers to be Area Leaders to facilitate the home meetings at the respective areas. The meetings are informal in nature in a home setting.  Attendance averages six to approximately 12. Home meetings provide an opportunity to meet many wonderful people and especially to help you feel you are not alone. If you need any information, please call Anne Baklarz. We will be there to train you and to help explain everything.

 Volunteer Needed

 I, Betty Robson, am desperately looking for volunteers to help me to keep account of our membership – primarily recording new members as they come to meetings and members who move and have change of address, etc. I have been doing this particular job for many years and it is time to have someone else volunteer to help with this phase of my office responsibilities. Please call Betty Robson.

Help needed as Newsletter staff

  If you have personal computer skills, we could use your help to type an article covering the Sunday meeting program. Volunteering offers a new way to heal your grief through helping our chapter and promoting the mission of The Compassionate Friends. It would only involve covering a meeting every other month. If you can only volunteer for one month, we would appreciate your help. I will help you. If interested, please call Anne Baklarz, 412-242-4939.

Facilitator Training Program

We will be hosting a facilitator training workshop at our Sunday meeting, September 25th by Betty Robinson. If you have been bereaved and grieving for more than a year and if you are willing to help lead our sharing groups a few months out of the year, please consider attending. If you are not sure you are ready yet, come and see what you learn, and you can decide later if facilitating is for you.

United Way Contributors Choice Contributions

The Compassionate Friends is an "eligible agency" and we can, therefore, receive direct designations through the United Way Contributors Choice Campaign.

Our Code number is 2647.

Please write this number on the pledge card, along with your name and signature. The name "Compassionate Friends" or our ID Number 2647 may not be printed on the pledge card. So, please check in order to get credit for your much needed gifts. If you contribute to United Way in a different county, please make sure when they send the check to us that they include your name and the number "2647" so that it does not go into the anonymous contributions.

We also participate in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) and our campaign number is "9316". all gifts for either campaign are most appreciated.