This week’s “Help This Hound” question is from Wayne Loder of Milford, Michigan:
“I’m the Public Awareness Coordinator for The Compassionate Friends/USA, a national self-help bereavement organization with a mission to assist families toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of any age and to provide information to help others be supportive.
“The second week in September of 2008 has been designated as the first Compassionate Friends Month. Week. ” I want to give each of our 600 chapters in the United States a CD or packet of materials they can use for PR. I have promised that I would also arrange national publicity.
“I want to give them a press release template to send to their local newspapers; a template poster to place at libraries, churches, grocery stores, etc.; Public Service Announcements for local radio and newspapers; and a template proclamation for local governmental bodies.”
“On the national level, I plan to distribute a press release, and will also provide information to the major nursing magazines and funeral director publications, the two major bereavement magazines, and will contact state funeral director associations in all 50 states. I haven’t, as yet, checked out what national magazines might have some type of calendar or announcement area where a notice could be placed.
“Would your Hounds have additional suggestions on what other backup materials I could provide chapters, and where I could try for additional national coverage?”
This may sound petty, but I sit on both sides of the desk — I do media relations work on behalf of clients and I also use news releases as a freelance writer.
I stopped abruptly with your comment that the second WEEK in September is going to be Compassionate Friends MONTH. That doesn’t make sense… is it a week or is it a month? As far I am concerned, this is the kind of mistake that could make a reporter move on to the next news release. If you’re rushed as a reporter, it’s not worth the effort sometimes to call the issuer of the news release to get a clarification.
National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions, and its member hospitals, would be a natural place to contact. NACHRI apparently publishes “Children’s Hospitals Today,” in which you might advertise. http://www.childrenshospitals.net
Your’re right. It was my mistake when I edited the question. I’ve made the correction above.
Thanks for the heads-up.
I am aware of your organization in my local community, and am very grateful that such a group exists. Have you appealed to your local chapter representatives for their ideas, i.e. grassroots efforts they’d like to try? Perhaps a common theme will emerge, which you can capitalize upon to create a “national event.” I also highly recommend informing counselors and counseling associations, in addition to identifying an expert (or two) who can address this topic on behalf of your organization, i.e. for TV interviews. I bet there’s even a celebrity out there who be willing to align him/herself with Compassionate Friends; Eric Clapton quickly comes to mind, since the loss of his young son is quite well known. Best wishes in your endeavors!
Wayne, you can play around this idea if you think it’s worthy.
what’s one symbol of compassion?
How about a sympathy card except your organizations doesn’t send cards instead it’s sympathy emails but… because asicine isp’s your emails keep getting blocked as spam. One reason maybe this happens is because expressions of sympathy seem to occur at the same time, we saw this recently with football player Shawn Taylor, so you’re tired of this treatment and you want Congress to forbide ISP’s from blocking email from Org’s such as yours.
here’s a headline for media release:
“Sympathy Emails Get The Cold Shoulder From internet Providers Says Compassion Expert”
Chomp on it..see if it works for you.
Hi there,
I’d be happy to feature the event in my charity column. Just e-mail all the details for consideration.
warm regards,
Jackie O’Neal
Because your organization focuses on the loss of children, something that you might consider is asking people to submit digital photographs of their loved ones that can be assembled into a dynamic online image grid, or “quilt”. The idea of a quilt evokes childhood and memory in very positive ways, and allows for individual expression within a cohesive whole.
It would make a great story for both national and local press because it’s so visual, and local chapters could generate large-scale graphics that would each be slightly different, but within the same theme.
Good luck with your efforts!
In 1974 we lost a 12 year old son in a terrible auto accident. Both of our youngest sons were in the car, Greg was killed, David was bruised but alive. I was badly hurt but recovered. All of the parents of classmates of the boys, at the Episcopal School they attended responded generously to our Headmaster’s suggestion that contributins for the school library. Hundred of books have been purchased and the inside covers have book plates stating that the book is in memory of a St. Mark’s classmate.
I had been a story reader and when I went back months after the accident to read again my husband accompanied me and a little girl rushed to him, hugged him around his legs and crying,said,”Greggie was my best friend and I miss him.” That reading hour was difficult for me, but the children wanted to know about Greg, his favorite food, was he in Heaven, what do you all do when you miss him, etc”
Talking with the children about Greg, even bringing up fun things to remember, encouraged the kids to tell us happy, funny things they remembered about
him.And they all told us how they wanted to be the first one to read a new library book with his name inside the cover. Those kids started our healing and I am sure it helped them to heal also. And part of my ongoing memorial was not only reading to his class, but to do it the following year also for these same children as they moved up a grade.
We had two sets of children, an older Daughter and Son from my first marriage and Greg and David, the two younger boys. Our son inlaw’s memorial to Greg was to become a Big Brother in our local branch of this charity and has spent days and days with young boys who need a mentor and adult pal.
I am sure, these efforts were the best source of healing and comfort to us as it was for the children.
Hi, I was forwarded Wayne’s e-mail from a friend. I am the author and illustrator of the book, “The Gift of a Memory,” a keepsake to commemorate the loss of a loved one. Recently, I was contacted by a funeral home who was hosting a memorial service for its families. I made available to her a Power Point presentation of the book — words and page art. She read the book while showing the presentation. I would be willing to make this available (by e-mail) to any chapters wishing to use it for a service of some sort. I have also personally autographed the books for funeral homes wishing to use the books as a memorial gift (reduced pricing, too). Wayne — please call or e-mail me at mr@mariannerichmond.com if interested in incorporating this into your idea packet. Blessings, Marianne Richmond, author, The Gift of a Memory
Joan,
Thank you for letting your members know about The Compassionate Friends. (It’s referred to as TCF.)
Unfortunately, I’m a member. It’s one of the few clubs in the world that when they get a new member, they say, “Damn, we have a new member,” because that means another family in the community has had a child die.
Don’t get me wrong, TCF is a GREAT organization and probably single-handedly responsible for my bits of sanity today.
I’ve done the publicity for both TCF chapters that I’ve belonged to in the last 9 years and what works best is just the steady drip of submitting the monthly meeting information to the local newspaper calendars and then asking the local media to write stories on the few events held each year. Like all good PR, a good photograph goes a long way in generating publicity.
Also, I recommend a someone in each chapter contact the local churches in the area. I’ve had to call several churches to find one who had even heard of TCF.
Often, the pastors in a town will gather for a monthly meal. Perhaps someone could attend that gathering and pass out TCF information cards to give to the people who answer the phone in the church offices as well as the pastors.