Seasons Centre for Grieving Children unveiled a new honour wall on Friday at its downtown Barrie facility as a way to to thank the many groups and individuals who have helped young people get through tough times in their lives.
The Celebration of Support Feature Wall was officially unveiled today, commemorating 27 years of generosity and the millions of dollars raised from the community to help heal hearts with hope.
Rowley Ramey, who is the centre’s managing director and co-founder, explained how grateful he was for the community and to be able to mark this special day.
“Since the Seasons Centre started in January of 1995, we have been able to raise $10 million from the help and support of this community. It's just incredible,” he told BarrieToday. “It really is humbling to see how people come out to help folks who they have never even met.”
Since opening 27 years ago, the McDonald Street centre has helped many individuals and provided peer support to people between the ages of five and 24 who are grieving the death of immediate family members.
Nina Purewal, a past participant and now a grief ambassador at Seasons Centre, attended the facility in 1997 after losing her father and brother unexpectedly and tragically.
Purewal has gone on to own a business and co-write a book about how to let things go and thanks the centre for helping her get there.
“Coming to a grieving centre like this, I finally felt heard and seen after speaking to peers who had gone through tragic loss,” she said. I had my high school friends, but no one knew what I was going through until I went to the grieving centre and people understood the depths of what I was feeling.”
The centre was founded in memory of Ramey’s daughters, 10-year-old Jessica and 12-year-old Samantha. In January 1995, a car accident claimed the lives of the two girls and from the tragedy came understanding and the need for grief support.
Sophie-Claire, who is a 10-year-old participant at Seasons Centre, was on hand to speak about losing her father just last year. She said the centre has been helpful for her as it allows her “to talk to kids my own age and not be sad alone.”
The centre has several programs available for participants that are visible at their website here.
