SHARE Atlanta Pregnancy and Newborn Loss Grief Support

Share Logo SHARE Atlanta Local Grief Support Group Information
Our Volunteers: A fairly comprehensive list of committees, groups, etc. and those who worked within them. 1984 - 2005

The purpose is not to heal, only to love.
It is the love that heals.
Gurudev (Yogi Amrit Desai) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Friend,

I have made an effort to bring together as many names as I can collect through meeting and newsletter reviews. If you were part of or can remember other names, please email me and I will be delighted to add the name(s) to the list. This has been a walk in the beauty of how a group blossoms and grows because of those who are willing to put in time to make that happen.

As I have shared, it is always daunting to do something like this for fear some person will be left out...never intentionally to be sure. If a person did several jobs (which is very typical), I tried to include him/her in all of the positions, but if I wasn't sure, I put him/her in the main job that they did. Also, there are names on our other outlines that may not be included in this list. Marcia McGinnis 2005

It is important to remember that we are a "Mutual" support Group

A Mutual Support Group aids in healing because...

"Our group" includes all of our volunteers as well as those members who attend our group meetings, exchange email on the website or forum, and who participate in any of our outreach events or activities. When anyone does any of these activities, they become actively involved because they provide mutual support for each other. Being understanding and supportive of one another as we share stories, experiences and emotions - in whatever medium - is the essence of SHARE Atlanta.

Our outreach programs continue this mutual support by providing awareness of our program to others in our community (some of who might need us at some point in their own lives) and by honoring all of our special babies. Our advocacy programs also encourage medical research and support - for us and others. Our hope is that mutual support leads to healing - both emotionally and physically. This healing happens both for the person who is touched by the outreach and the one who is providing the support.

Thank you to all who have been a part of this wonderful process.

Marcia McGinnis

Direct Links to our Primary methods of outreach...

Phones: Coordinators and Committees - Our First Outreach

Groups - Our Second Outreach

Newsletters - Our Third Primary Outreach

Inservice and Promotional Activities - Our Fourth Primary Outreach

Outreach for Healing - Our Fifth Primary Outreach

SHARE Atlanta's Website..how it came to be

Special Events..Memorial and Candlelighting Events (not listed yet)

Social Director

Our Business Programs

Note: Our board members and those who set our business agenda have always been composed of those who held an official position, ran a group or coordinated a committee and any one else who wished/wishes to join us and help set the direction of where SHARE Atlanta should go. Our board has always been composed 100% of bereaved parents, but we always welcome constructive and kind input from friends and family that wish to support us.

Direct Links

Incorporated, by-laws, tax exemption status...

Presidents

Treasurers

Secretaries

Vice President

Database ~ keeping all of our members on record.

Our Primary Outreach Programs and those who ran them...

Phones - a Primary Outreach

Phone Committee Coordinators and the people on the committees...

1985 - 1986 - First phones: Carol Mitchell, Anne Thrift, Marcia McGinnis 1986 - Anne Thrift

1986 - Diane Jordan coor. (We received calls through the Link Counseling Center until we installed a phone answering machine in 1990.)

1986-88 phone comm. - Jean Burditt, Nancy Schulz, Diane Jordan, and Marcia McGinnis

1987- 1988 - Jean Shulman coord

1986 - 88 - Diane Jordan, Cheryl Jones, and Marcia McGinnis

1989 - 1992 - Peggy Moore, coor.

1992 - 1994 - Lynne Anderson, coor.

Early 90s phone committee - Linda Coleman (91, 92), Mimi Ingram, Eve McIntosh, Diane Jordan, Lynn DeLude, Jean Schulman, Candy Frazier, Roberta Oster

1994 - 1995 - Taylor Deane, coor.

Mid- 90s phone committee - Sally Whitt (94), LeeAnn Gibson (94, 95), Darlene Miles (94, 95), Mary Morgan - 94 (Mary received phone call from Japanese woman who had asked for our materials and greatly appreciated their content and quality.)

1995 - 1999 - Mary Morgan, coor.

From '95 on phone committee - Kathleen Blum (95 and on and off until 2005), Leyda Martinez (95 - Spanish), Jackie Serebrani-Kesner ('95, '96), Diane Campbell ('95), Colleen Galloway ('95, '97), Mignon Woods, Karen Richer ('96 for several years), Jessica Kysar (97, 98),

1999 - 2000 - Jessica Kysar, phone coordinator and data base

1999 -2000 committee and many of these woman did this job for several years... - Janet Algood , Kathleen Blum, Sharon Cryor, Polly Keen, Pam Renner, Rosemary Todd, Julie Tucker, Melinda Willis, Diane Jordan, Jessica Kysar

2001 - 2003 - Pam Renner, coor.

2002-3 - phone committee - Kathleen Blum, Amy McFaun, Pam Renner, Tracy Martin,Melinda Willis, Karen Jordan-Allen, Karen Verner, Trisha Jackson, Stacy Gilbert, Buff Bishop, Christie McGraw, Sakina Hanson,

2004 - 2005 - Karen Verner coor.

2004 phone committee: Leah Blurton, Valerie Scholovich, Stacy Gilbert, Karen Jordan-Allen, Kathleen Blum, Karen Verner,

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Groups - Our Second Outreach

Note: All of our "Grief Groups" are men and women's groups except the Women's Grief Group.

Facilitators and Locations

Grief Group: 1/85-12/96 Original Meeting Home - at the Link Counseling Center:

1985-86 - Marcia McGinnis and Larry Connelly

1986 - '90 - Marcia McGinnis (Linda Anderson helps Marcia in '85.)

1990-1996 - Lynne Anderson

Grief Group - second group: Stone Mountain, Indian Creek Baptist Church

1985-'86 - Larry Connelly and Robert and Roberta Kohn

Grief Group: Dekalb Medical - fourth group

June 1993 9/94 -5/95 - Karrie Jones; Marcia McGinnis and Claire Weaver substituted some. (Sonya Cruel was the social worker involved with us and Sharon Gregory was the RN who invited us to do groups in the hospital.

Downtown:

Grief Group: Piedmont Hospital - third group

12/85 -'86 - Cathy Steele and Linda Anderson, SHARE Atlanta parents

Late 1986 - Barbara Carr and Mary Ellen Volbraith, both RNs from Piedmont.

Changed to "RTS" in late 1990

Grief Group: Grant Park - St. Paul's Methodist Church

1988/89 - Joanna Merwin

Grief Group: GA Baptist

4/94-January 97 - Betty Sullivan (Georgia Baptist nurse and SHARE Atlanta parent)

Grief Group: St. Luke's Episcopal Church

1/98-99 Pam Slayback and Diane Jordan

Northside

Roswell United Methodist Church

1/97-98 - Lynne Anderson and Kathleen Blum

Marietta/Acworth

1999- 2003 Lynne Anderson and Kathleen Blum First United Methodist Church

2003-05 - Stacy Gilbert, Mary Morgan, Lynne Anderson - Summit Baptist Church

Cobb Meeting St. Peter/Paul Episcipol Church

1992-93 - Charlotte Pritchett (moved away)

Grief Group: Southside groups

1989 - Jodi Tuten - Henry County Hospital

2000 - 2003 - Jim and Pam Renner - First Baptist at Morrow

2002 - 03 - Pam Renner and Amy McFaun - First Baptist at Morrow

2003 - McFaun and Karen Verner - McDonough Christian Church

2004 - 5 - Karen Verner - Riverdale

Outside of Atlanta area:

Grief Group: Duluth

1999 - 2000: Karen Gipson and co-leader Julie Tucker - Fairview Presbyterian Church

Grief Group: Athen's Group

2003 - Virginia McKenna - Athens First United Methodist Church

Grief Group: Women's Meeting

1985 - Jean Schulz home and Jean Shulmans home (three groups then we came together in Marcia's home by August of '86)

1986 to 2005 - Marcia McGinnis' home

1994 - helped by Julie Branch

1995-97 - helped by Mary Morgan

1986 to 2005 - Various moms drop in as they can or on anniversaries to lend support to other moms.

Subsequent Pregnancy Group

1986 - Lily Adams and Nancy Schultz with topics

1987 - Eve McIntosh

1990 -1993 - Pam Slayback - met in Donna Bondi's home near Emory

1994 - 1995 - Allison Nelsom - Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church on Emory Un. campus

1995 - 2000 - Taylor Deane at St. Luke's Prebyterian Church

2001 - 2005 - Polly Keen at St. Luke's Prebyterian Church

Note: First baby reunion: 2/86 at Marcia McGinnis' home. Second one in December 87 at Marcia's home. Kathleen and Robert Blum held them in their home in the mid to late 90s. Then, Joe and Polly Keen have held most of the ones in the 2000s.

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Newsletters - Our Third Primary Outreach

Newsletter Ed.

Joint efforts 1985 and 1986: Anne Thrift and Marcia McGinnis '85 and part of '86

Joint efforts, 1986: Sandy Spaeth ed. 86 - Bethann Gaugh typed, Tom and Roberta Kohen printed it and mailed it. Then, Tim Spaeth printed it.

Joint efforts Nov. 1986: Marcia M. and Bethann Gaugh (50 to 60 members)

Joint efforts winter '87: Marcia McGinnis and Sandy Spaeth ed.

Joint efforts fall/winter '87: Marcia McGinnis ed. ; Leigh Anne Estrada typed..fall/winter '87

Joint efforts 1988: Marcia McGinnis, Leigh Anne Estrada and Leticia Moon

Joint efforts 1989: Leigh Anne Estrada and Leticia Moon

Joint efforts 1990: Melody Werner and Pam Slayback

Joint efforts 1990 and 1991: Melody Werner, ed. (Lori VanBoxel and Marcia McGinnis)

1991 - Lecie Harrison

1992 - 94 - Karrie Jones

Joint efforts 1994: Julie Branch - with Marcia McGinnis and Joel McGinnis' doing one

1995 - 2005 - Jennifer Greer (Catherine Drew did birth anniversaries in '95 and 96)

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Outreach for Healing Coordinators

1998 - Shelter Donations - Phillis Almgren (started the program) - Decatur Cooperative Ministeries, '99 Newborns in Need, First Steps, and Hagar House

1999 - Shelter Donations - Karen Gipson - Newborn in Need

2001 - Shelter Donations - group leaders took any donation to shelter nearest them.

2002-2005 - Foster Care Shelter - Valerie Scholovich

1997-2005 - March of Dimes - Jennifer Greer

2005 - March of Dimes - Cindy Ivey

2004 - Festival of Trees - Marcia McGinnis

2005 - Blankets of Love - Jennifer Carter, Kelly Mishkoff, Marcia McGinnis

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Inservice and Promotional Activities - Our Fourth Primary Outreach

Inservice and promotional Committee: I have named the coordinators of the committees when we had one.

1985 -1986 - Cindy Anderson, Pam Slayback, Jean Brudit, Jean Shulman, Marcia McGinnis, Larry Connelly, Carol Mitchel

1986 - Jean Shulman, coor. (letter to doc. gets $ form Massey, The Atlanta Obstetrics and Gynecological Ass. -Drs. Hubard, Mitchell, Wright and McFarlin of Piedmont.)

1987 and 1988 - Nancy Shultz, coor

1987 - 88 - Tim and Sandy Spaeth, Neal and Charlotte Faulkenberry, and Bob and Jean Schulman, Sandy Spaeth (mass mailing of newsletters to doctors, clergy, etc.); Cheryl Jones and Marcia McGinnis at North Fulton Hospital; Candy Frazier '88 (newspaper article); Nancy Schult - Better Birth Foundation & Resolve/infertility, Susie Blackmun, Linda Anderson, Marcia McGinnis

1992- 1994 - Pam Dekker - coor. '92

1994 - 2001 - Karen Gipson - coor. for inservice and pr - with major focus on pr and inservice in the years. During this time we did at least 12 inservices.

1994 - 1996 - Maureen Frasier, Elaine Yeargan, Karen Major - committee

1994 - 1995 - Lillian Powers and Betty Sullivan, Joe and Sally Whitt, Lynne Anderson, Candy Frazier, Julie Bush, Jennifer H., Lucy Manahan, Marcia McGinnis, George and LeAnn Gibson, Christmas and Don S.

9/95 -2000 - Kathleen Blum did much to get our information into local newspapers

1996 - 2001 - Diane Campbell, Jessica Kysar, Mignon Woods, Colleen Galloway, Lynne O'Brien, Karen and Charlie Major, Chris and Jessica Kysar, Mary and Steve Morgan, Janet Algood, Sharon Cryor, Jennifer Greer, Marcia McGinnis, Karen and Randy Gipson, Phylis Almgren, Roger and Taylor Deane, Sakina Hanson, Caroline Hale, Pam and Jim Renner, Jennifer Greer. Christie McGraw, Marcia McGinnis, Karen Gipson, Polly Keen, Buff and John Bishop

2002 - 2004 - Buff Bishop, coor. for inservice

2002 - 2004 - Leah Blurton, Christie McGraw, Jennifer Greer, Lynne Anderson, Karen Gipson, Mary and Steve Morgan, Polly Keen, Janna Seskin, Robin Cash, Sakina Hanson, Marcia McGinnis, Karen Verner

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Social Director - started in 9/94

9/94 - 9/96 - Karrie Jones

1/97 - 99 - LeeAnn Gibson

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SHARE Atlanta Website

1995-96 - Roger Deane, SHARE Atlanta dad, came and discussed what having a website for SHARE Atlanta might mean for us. We had invited him to our meeting because we felt that this might be the next step in our group's growth. There were only a few sites that touched on Pregnancy and Newborn Loss (SANDS and HAND). He and his wife, Taylor, later came to be the primary financial support for our online site.

April 1997 - Marcia McGinnis put the first site online and has continued as the "webmaster" since that time. The site was initially composed of information about grief for parents and families; a Memorial Garden; links to medical and group resources; and "workshops" taken from the booklets that she has written for the group meetings. She began the email exchange so parents could "tell their story" as the most important aspect of the site. Roger helped set up the initial interactive pages because he knew the code to do that. For more about the development of the website please see "Marcia's Story."

1999 - 2000 - Harold McClure, SHARE Atlanta dad, had an online chat room and board for our members to visit with one another. It was very popular. When he could no longer do this we had to close it down.

Fall 2004 - Another forum is begun. Roger moved the account from Mindspring to his company's server.

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Our Business Programs

Note: Incorporation: completed by Att. John Bender, a SHARE Atlanta dad, on April 14, 1987. Our by-laws had been worked on by Jean Burditt and Jean Shulman. Then, in 1988, Pam Slayback worked for our tax-exemption status affective as of August 2, 1988.