2011 Donor Impact Report - Charity Focus

For MikeyThey’d supported Bob and Julie Hamilton through the unimaginable– and then it happened to them.Michael and Linda Shawlearned that their 15-year-oldson, Michael (“Mikey”), hadbeen killed during a school skitrip in an avalanche.He was suddenly gone.“During the funeral, Julie cameup to me and said ‘You haveto talk to Bob Glasgow,’”reflects Michael. “So I called.”“He allowed us to face ourgrief and get our life backagain. Bob was always therefor us and allowed us tounderstand how each otherwas feeling, to talk aboutMikey, to cry our eyes outand then put ourselvesback together.”“I wish we didn’t needa program like this, butunfortunately, these incidentsare a fact of life. None of usare trained on how to dealwith death. This is a way tohelp families cope throughstruggle; the program, slowlybut surely, helped us progressthrough our grief. It allowed usto rebuild our lives.”Both the Hamiltons andShaws saw the value the GriefSupport Program offered.Knowing that everyone willgo through the loss of a lovedone in their lifetime, the Shawsand Hamiltons joined Rev.Glasgow’s team and headedup the fundraising group toraise enough money for alarger facility.“It was easy why we wantedto give back,” said Michael.“We saw Bob occasionallyand chatted with him aboutfunding and how we couldhelp. So Bob Hamilton and Igot together and said we weregoing to make sure that theprogram got new space. Weput the committee together,made lots of phone calls andsent out letters.”“Linda and I made a donationfor the new space becauseBob saved our lives andhelped us to keep going. If itwasn’t for him, I can’teven imagine where wewould be.”Named in memory oftheir son, ‘Mikey’s Room’ isone of the quiet counsellingrooms available at the newGrief Support Centre onRichmond Road.“This is a way to help familiescope through struggle; the programslowly but surely helped us progressthrough our grief. It allowed us torebuild our lives.”Your impact“Bob saved ourlives and helpedus keep going.If it wasn’t forhim, I can’t evenimagine wherewe would be.”– Michael ShawMichael and Linda Shaw (left), Rev. Bob Glasgow (centre)and Julie and Bob Hamilton (right), together with a committeeof volunteers and Calgary Health Trust, raised over $625,000for a new space to house the Grief Support Program.Thank you.9