TCF 42nd Annual National Conference - July 19 thru 21, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Compassionate Friends National Conference is a weekend spent surrounded by other bereaved parents, grandparents and siblings. It is a place where hope grows and friendships are made with others who truly understand. With inspirational keynote speakers, abundant workshops for everyone’s wants and needs, and a remembrance candle lighting program culminating with the annual Walk to Remember, this time of healing and hope is the gift we give ourselves. Join us as together we remember and share the everlasting love we have for our precious children, siblings and grandchildren. 2019 Virtual Walk to Remember - We will be setting our goal for this year's Virtual Walk to Remember later in the year. And you can help us reach that goal once the Virtual Walk to Remember is set up this year. As always, your donations are always very much appreciated! 2019 Walk to Remember - Saturday, February 16, 2019 - North Collier Regional Park, 15000 Livingston Road, Naples, FL 34119. Registration starts at 8:30am - Walk begins at 9:00am. Registration is $25.00 and includes a Walk to Remember T-Shirt. Registration Form is available HERE or on our Facebook page. Also available are forms to Collect Pledges and to Sponsor a Sign. The purpose of the Walk is to remember all our children, grandchildren, and siblings who died too soon but still walk in their families’ hearts, to unite the families of the local chapter and to raise funds to support the mission of the local chapter. Past Events 2018: 31st Annual SW Florida Candle Lighting Ceremony - December 9, 2018 at St. Leo's Parish Life Center in Bonita Springs, Florida. The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting unites family and friends around the globe in lighting candles for one hour to honor the memories of the sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and grandchildren who left too soon. As candles are lit at 7:00 pm local time, hundreds of thousands of persons commemorate and honor the memory of all children gone too soon. 2018 Virtual Walk to Remember - We have set our goal for this year's Virtual Walk to Remember, and you can help us reach that goal by clicking here and either donating, creating a Virtual Walk of your own within our chapter, or just sharing the Walk with family and friends (link for sharing is on the Walk website). As always, your donations are always very much appreciated! TCF 41st Annual National Conference - July 27 thru 29, 2018 in St. Louis, MO.  “Gateway to Hope and Healing” is the theme of next year’s event, which promises more of this year’s great National Conference experience. The 2018 Conference will be held at the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel. Registration is now open for the conference, and can be done on TCF's Website. Cost of registration for an Adult is $115, for Children 9-17, Full time College Students and Active Duty Military is $55. Hotel Registrations are being accepted at the Marriott Reservation line (800-397-1282) with the TCF Discounted rate of $140 per night plus tax. Each attendee will only be able to reserve two rooms. If you need more than two rooms, please contact the National Office to make arrangements for your reservations. Please see the National Website for other information pertaining to the conference, such as the Keepsake Memorial Journal, Introducing TCF's Marketplace, Ordering a Conference Memento and Conference Sponsorships. Our Chapter: We are happy to announce that we will again be "sponsoring" some of the expense for our "Members" who are attending the National Conference. We will reimburse you in August (after the Conference) for up to $205.00 which covers the cost of adult registration, the Saturday Night Dinner and the Walk on Sunday. We will do this on a first come, first served basis for 18 people.As we all know, the cost of attending a National Conference can be prohibitive for some. So, there are a few ways to ease that cost a bit. One of them is sharing the hotel room with another attendee (TCF National has a Facebook page just for this purpose). Another option is to NOT eat all your meals at the hotel. Luckily this year’s venue has many food choices in reasonable price ranges that are within walking distance. Please consider attending this. Any of us who have gone to a Conference will tell you it is an amazing experience. Please reach out if you have any questions and get registered!!! Our Chapter: We also have this Wonderful Offer: 2 of our families that are attending the National Conference, Tammy Alexander Wickell and Barbara Dziedzic, with their spouses, have offered to make a display of our loved ones that will be placed on a billboard, with a Florida themed background at the Conference. If anyone would like their child(ren)’s photo(s) included on the memory board, please email the photo(s), along with their name (and dates if you want them listed) you would like displayed to tammywickell@gmail.com.
Deadline will be July 1, 2018 to get us your photo since we will be sending them off to be printed, so that all the photos will be the same size. We will be decorating the board when we arrive in St. Louis. Freedom Waters Boat Trip - Saturday, April 14, 2018, 10:00 am Our group was invited, (FREE of charge) thanks to the efforts of Jonathan's mother-Margie Yurewitch, to be taken out by the Freedom Waters Organization (You can check them out at www.freedomwatersfoundation.org ) on the Double Sunshine for a 1 1/2 hour boat ride starting at 10:00 am. Park at Tin City and meet at the Dock closest to Pinchers. We went to Pinchers to eat following the boat ride. 4th Annual Southwest Florida Walk-to-Remember - Saturday, February 17th, 2018 North Collier Regional Park: 15000 Livingston Rd. Naples, FL 34109 Our 4th Walk to Remember is scheduled...please save the date & come walk with us!
Registration started at 8:30am & the Walk started @ 9:00am. This is a chance for us to remember our children, siblings & grandchildren gone to soon.
This event unites the families of the local chapter to raise funds to support the mission "No One Walks Alone"
Past Events 2017: Sibling Dinner! Sunday, December 3, 2017 @ 6 pm Millers Ale House, 10065 Gulf Center Drive, Estero, Florida - Gulf Coast Town Center near Bass Pro Shops Siblings were welcomed by Andrew's sister-Tracy Milne-Edgemon. Tracy has been the Sibling representative on the TCF National Board of Directors for the past 6 years. Now that her term is finished she is wanting to reach out to our local siblings. Tracy has fought long & very hard to stop Siblings from being the "forgotten mourners". 30th Annual Worldwide Candle Lighting & Giving Tree - December 10, 2017 @ 5:30 pm Imperst Events: 2017:ial Harbor Clubhouse, 26230 Imperial Harbor Blvd, Bonita Springs, Florida The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting unites family and friends around the globe in lighting candles for one hour to honor the memories of the sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and grandchildren who left too soon. As candles are lit at 7:00 pm local time, hundreds of thousands of persons commemorate and honor the memory of all children gone too soon.. HERE COME THE HOLIDAYS! November 9, 2017 @ 7 pm Refuge Church 1901 Brantley Road, Fort Myers, Florida A special presentation by Alan Pedersen on handling the Holidays. Join us for an evening filled with love, remembrance and laughter wrapped around award winning music and an inspirational message of hope and healing. BEACH DINNER: October 13, 2017Mark's parents, Frank & Kit Daniher sponsored a "Beach Dinner" at their Pavillion at the Bonita Bay Beach Club.  The Compassionate Friends 40th TCF National Conference “Rays of Sunshine, Oceans of Hope”had over 30 members of our Southwest Florida Chapters attend. It was an amazing experience. .Our Chapter hosted the Hospitality Room at the Conference and we raised $ participating in the Virtual Walk Thank you all for your participation! Our 3rd "Live" Walk to Remember - Saturday, April 8, 2017 North Collier Regional Park: 15000 Livingston Rd. Naples, FL 34109 This is a chance for us to remember our children, siblings & grandchildren gone to soon. This event unites the families of the local chapter to raise funds to support the mission of the local chapter, so "No One Walks Alone". Our group was invited, thanks to the efforts of Jonathan's mother-Margie Yurewitch, to be taken out by the Freedom Waters Organization (You can check them out at www.freedomwatersfoundation.org ) on the Double Sunshine for a 1 1/2 hour boat ride. It was a great time together in an environment that was peaceful and comforting. Past Events 2016: December 11, 2016 - 29th Annual Worldwide Candle Lighting –Candle Lighting & Giving Tree with Pot Luck dinner @ Saint John the Evangelist 625 111th Avenue N. Naples, FL 34108. This was Southwest Florida's 29th Annual Candle Lighting Ceremony including our Giving Tree & Optional Pot Luck Dinner @ 5:30 PM.
Highlights: A PowerPoint was used with our loved ones pictures as their names are read and the family lights their personalized candle. Special Events (before): There was a potluck dinner from 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM. Each family was encouraged to bring a dish to share that their child(ren) really enjoyed. At 6:45 PM we gathered for the 7:00 PM candle lighting ceremony. Several families shared the reading of our children's names as each family lights their child(ren)'s personalized candle. Sunday, February 28, 2016 - 2nd Annual Walk to Remember 2016- North Collier Regional Park 15000 Livingston Road Naples, FL 34119. Mother’s Day - Father’s Day - Grandparents Day May 21, 2016 - Mom's Dad's & Grandparent's Breakfast were celebrated at The Original Pancake House
|