NAVIGATING
GRIEF

We lost our son Brandon on December 22, 2022, after he battled addiction for almost a decade. He was an only child through and through — funny and a class clown who always wanted to please everyone. He was a delightful young man. The world lost out on a great guy.

Nearly two months after he died, I was invited to a restorative workshop through Julien's House, a non-profit organization that helps grieving individuals and families, providing special support for siblings, spouses and parents affected by the death of a loved one. The workshop was free, and I was so overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness that I immediately wanted to find a way to give back. I told my husband Rick, 'We need to organize a fundraiser' to keep Brandon's memory alive and help others because everyone will experience some type of grief in their life. I wanted to make sure people know that when you’re in the midst of grief, there is help.

I've organized fundraisers at GreenShield for Windsor-Essex Children's Aid Society, so I knew what was possible. In less than a month, we pulled off our first fundraiser for Julien's House, a pasta dinner with live music and a raffle. I love making candy bouquets, and Brandon enjoyed them, so I made some for the raffle. Our initial goal was to raise $5000; by the event's end, we'd hit $12,000. And then GreenShield doubled it.

After that, we held four fundraisers, including two golf tournaments Rick organized, collectively raising over $61,000 for Julien's House. We just had our third annual pasta dinner and raised close to $7,600, and GreenShield will double it again.

I've been with GreenShield for 20 years. When he was visiting the Windsor office, I had a one-on-one conversation with Zahid Salman, the CEO and President. I shared Brandon's story with him. He’s always been very supportive. I'm proud to work for a purpose-driven company and feel grateful for GreenShield's commitment to helping employees make a difference in their communities. Together, we’re leaving a lasting impact.