After touring the VNA Phoenix Center in Valparaiso, members of the Altrusa International of the Indiana Dunes club voted to have Altrusa president Phyllis Simko and member Eugenia “Becky” Sacopulos present a check for $1000 to purchase books, both fact and fiction, which deal with grief issues for children and adults to enhance the resource library at the Center.
Altrusa International of the Indiana Dunes is an association of professional and business people in diversified careers who volunteer their energies and expertise in projects dedicated to community betterment. According to Simko, the donation to the VNA Phoenix Center helps meet the mission of Altrusa International, which is to improve economic well-being and quality of life through commitment to community service and literacy.
The VNA Phoenix Center, a place for healing after loss for children and their families, is a new program of the Visiting Nurse Association of Porter County. The Center, located at 501 Marquette Street in Valparaiso, provides age appropriate peer support groups and activities such as art and music therapy, writing, recreation and memory projects to help children, teens and young adults from kindergarten to college age learn to cope with their grief over the loss of a loved one.
The children’s groups meet bi-weekly over an extended period of time, allowing the children to guide their own healing process. The program is offered free of charge and is open to any family in the community dealing with a grieving child. For more information, contact VNA Phoenix Center supervisor Michele Murphy-Wise at 219-462-5195.
Photo Caption: Altrusa of the Indiana Dunes President Phyllis Simko, left and Altrusa member Becky Sacopulos, right present a check Maria Galka, VNA Director of Development to help purchase grief support books for the resource library at the VNA Phoenix Center in Valparaiso.