Annual Picnic and Butterfly Release — September 21 at 12:30 p.m.
It is almost time for the annual picnic and butterfly release! Moms always look forward to this event as a way to commemorate the memories and spirits of our children, gone too soon. We hope to see you at Concord Park, Shelter #6 (10909 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN).
Events kick-off with a picnic lunch catered by Liston Wallace, from Straight Off The Grill, and includes hamburgers, hot dogs, and fixings. Plan to bid for awesome items during the silent auction. We will gather for the butterfly release following lunch, and moms will release monarch butterflies to symbolize the spirits of our children, free in spirit.
Donations are welcome so we can continue to sponsor events such as this.
Fundraising Yard Sale Success
We did it again! Clint’s mom, Debra Reagan, hosted our third yard sale event, this time in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It was another success, as we continue to raise funds to be able to support our efforts to reach moms who need us. Funds are used to cover expenses for activities such as our annual butterfly release, candle lighting ceremony, and outreach.
Harriman Gathering
Moms are meeting at Redeemer Lutheran Church at 1658 Roane State Highway, in Harriman, Tennessee. This is our third and newest location to reach moms in Anderson and Roane Counties. Gatherings are held on third Saturdays, from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Memorial Walk: Coming in October
Stay tuned for more information on the Walk to Remember, sponsored by Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, a member of Covenant Health. This annual event takes place in October at the University of Tennessee Arboretum, located at 901 S. Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge. This event gives parents and families who have lost a child of any age an opportunity to come together and remember the life of their child.
Hearts Weathering the Storm
I am watching Sawyer’s twig heart
Weather the storm,
It is pelted by the stinging rain,
It can’t fight back.
The strong winds blow it
In many directions,
It has no control to stand its’ ground.
I am frightened.
I shout, “Hold on! Be strong!”
The thunder roars loudly.
I quiver in fear,
As the twigs are shaken by the fierce winds.
The lighting strikes,
And the heart glows in the darkness.
How does that little twig heart,
Maintain its’ grasp in such a battle?
I sit,
And I stare,
Again I speak to the heart
As if it is Sawyer standing there.
“Please don’t break,
Don’t let go, don’t fall,
Hold on, dear son,
I need your heart here.
The symbol of your love
Brings comfort to me,
I need to know you still love me,
Stay strong, Sawyer.”
I turn inward now,
Will my own heart weather another grief storm?
With the brutal winds of remembrance
Hitting me in the face?
They are strong.
They push me around.
I too have no control.
I am fearful of the strength of these winds.
Will they knock me so hard,
That they take the breath from me?
Will they break me,
Will I let go and fall?
The thunder roars.
The explosion of the gun.
The fog rises beyond the trees,
Smoke after a trigger has been pulled.
The lightning strikes overhead.
I am startled.
I close my eyes,
I see the bullets striking my son.
The pelting raindrops sting my face,
I am reminded of the tears of not knowing,
Rather not accepting,
Demanding to see my son.
The stinging pain cuts and hurts,
It disappears from the surface of my skin,
Trickling down and burying itself inside my heart,
A safe place for this pain to abide.
This journey of loss
Brings unfathomable storms of grief,
Unexpectedly they come again and again,
How long do these storms last?
Severe storms last for days,
Will this be one of those,
Or is it a reminder storm,
That pushes me downhill?
Do I have the strength
To climb back up?
Yet again?
Do I want to get back up?
Am I comfortable here
Spending time in our pain,
Remembering that night
Weathering the storms of grief?
I love you, Sawyer.
Mom — Tracy Bradshaw
April 4, 2014
Love Gifts
Thank you for your generous support!
- In memory of Clint Reagan
- In memory of Tony Phillips
- In memory of Louie Balogh
- In memory of Byron Clay, Jr.