By East Lansing Rotarian Lori Bosch

I am very honored to be the Managing Director of Ele’s Place in Lansing. Recently I was able to share my passion for Ele’s Place with my fellow Rotarians as East Lansing Rotary visted Ele’s Place. Ele’s Place is especially important to me, because when I was a teenager, my older brother died and I understand firsthand the pain and isolation that grieving children and teens experience. I encourage anyone who would like to learn more about Ele’s Place to take a tour. Tour dates are listed at www.elesplace.org, or you can call 517-482-1315.

For those of you who don’t know about our mission,Ele’s Place is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating awareness of and support for grieving children and their families. Our primary goal is to provide a safe and supportive atmosphere where children can share their feelings and memories with their peers, and begin to heal following the death of a parent, sibling, other close family member or important friend.

Ele’s Place recognizes that children’s grief is unique and that allowing children to share their feelings promotes healing. Grieving children often feel isolated by a death; at Ele’s Place, they can connect with their peers who have suffered similar loss, and together begin to heal. Through our peer support group program, these children are given the opportunity to grieve in a healthy manner and begin their healing process.

Most children today will experience the death of a parent, sibling, grandparent, other family member or close friend before they complete high school. When a child experiences the death of someone special, the impact is emotionally devastating and has a profound effect on his or her life. Ele’s Place provides the support children and teens need to find hope and healing, so they can have bright futures.