GROWW E-Mail Newsletter
15 June 2004	Circulation: 1045	Volume 2, Number 8
Editor · · Pat Sirni Associate Editor · · Margot Hill Newsletter Staff · · Angela Dyer · · Lori Petersen GROWW Officers · · Anne D’Ambrosio, Executive Director GROWW Staff · · Libby Morningstar, Director of Branches · · Pat Sirni, Grief Recovery Room Manager · · Rachel Frank, WebMistress · · Phil D’Ambrosio, Director of Security	Message from the Executive Director - Anne D’Ambrosio I would like to take this month’s space to tell you about GROWW and how it is supported. For those of you who are new with us, we are a 501C(3) non-profit organization. There is NO “real” GROWW headquarters; it is basically run out of my living room, with 2 file cabinets and my computer and printer. GROWW’s fiscal year goes from May 1^st 2003, through April 30^th2004. I have just completed GROWW’s fiscal 2003 taxes period ending May 2004. I would like to share with you where we get our money from and where we spend our money. None of our Hosts or Staff is paid for their time, we do not even have a phone line, and we do not pay any rent except for a P.O. Box. All of our staff has their own computers and pays for their own internet access. At this time GROWW has no assets except for the donations we have received this year that have not been spent yet. I have heard people say, I buy from Igive so I donate that way, yes, that’s true. Please read the following balance sheet below and I will show you how much we received from members (we do not get a breakdown of who the members are that use Igive), but we are grateful for everything and I can break down the donations given by Branch room members. Income Igive 197.12 Sale of GROWW Items 466.00 Donation from NO & MI Gatherings 718.00 Pampered Chef Fund Raiser 80.00 Checking Acct Interest 1.77 Donations Heavenly Angels 80.00 Grief Recovery 140.00 GROWW for Widowed 6663.63 TOTAL INCOME 8346.52 Expenses Bank Fees 480.00 FL Tax 135.00 Charge Card Fees 1132.44 Chatrooms/server 3261.40 Print/postage/mdse 1056.19 TOTAL EXPENSES 6065.03 NET INCOME 2281.49 So you see folks, This is how much I have in the checkbook right now; we are currently out of brochures, t-shirts, mugs, mouse pads and tote bags. I may have to take orders and then mail the product to members if I can’t get enough of the items printed before the Gathering. This means it will then cost us the postage to ship it and reduce the amount of profit we will make on the items. I am hoping to get a small quantity of each to bring to the MI Gathering so we can save on shipping expenses. So you see, there is no frivolous spending at GROWW; none of us get any free trips to Gatherings or free vacations. The rooms are now paid through April 30, 2005. Thank you for supporting GROWW and its’ Mission. Your donations really do count and go to a good cause and are tax deductible. GROWW Mission Statement GROWW (Grief Recovery Online for Widows and Widowers) is a web-based peer support group whose purpose is to provide comfort and solace to people of all ages who have lost loved ones. Through hosted chat rooms and monitored message boards, the members of GROWW, themselves "survivors of grief", provide a safe, confidential and caring environment where any person with internet access, may, at any time, find listeners who will reflect the normality, universality as well as the uniqueness of their grief process. Until next month Good Grief. AnneGD Message from the Director of Branches - Libby Morningstar Good June to all. I am starting my article with a profound sadness today. Grief, death has again hit us directly in the face with the death of former President Reagan. I think what made it so profound was that in Mrs. Reagan?s deepest time of sadness she was in front of the world to do her grieving. Yeah I know he lived a long life, but time is never long enough when it comes to the ones we love. I am sure if you asked his family they would have wanted maybe just one more day and then another. Would that have not been our wish? If you watched any of the coverage I am sure it brought back your own sadness. You wanted to yell at the top of your lungs this is not right. Our loved one should not have died, but they did. Now we have to figure out how to handle these feelings that have been reopened by all this news coverage. GROWW is there for you, I promise give us a chance. You can post on our message boards or chat with us in one of our rooms. It is a true fact that you must go though your grief before you can get through it. Grief work is probably the hardest wo! rk you will ever do, but again I promise you it is doable. Until next month may you take care of YOU. If we are not healthy how can we be so for others? Do what you need to do for you. There are no rules to grieving,, no right or wrong way to grieve, just a struggle to survive and you can. Let GROWW help you in that process. Michigan gathering is July 16 ? 18. Visit http://webspawner.com/users/mi2004 for gathering information and write to mi2004gathering@yahoo.com for registration information. Phil’s Corner - Phil D’Ambrosio Phil’s Corner A coupla 3 weeks ago the garage door opener at the house went on the blink. So I get up on the ladder and take it apart, because this is what guys do, and I find a 3 cents plastic do-hickey that’s broken. I just happen to have the manual for this thing. I look at the parts diagram and find that the 3 cent plastic do-hickey is part of an “assembly”. Ya just can’t buy the do-hickey, ya have to buy the “assembly for $20. At this point I think to myself, “What would Al do”? Al would be my dad. Al was the ultimate fix it guy. Everytime someone in the family had something that broke it always wound up in Al’s possession. I mean there wasn’t anything he couldn’t fix, repair or replicate. If ya asked him if the repair would last, his standard answer was “I think it will last a coupla weeks”. I can’t remember anything ever coming back for a 2^nd fix. With Father’s day this week-end I just thought an article on my dad would be a nice tribute. This is another rough day for anybody reading this news letter. My father always told me to take pride in whatever you do in life. Whether you’re the CEO of some fortune 500 company or digging a ditch, give it your best shot. Every time I finish some project at work my boss always asks me, how do you know how to do all this? I just tell him, I learned from Al. So, if your dad is still around give him a call or if you’re close enough give him a hug. Me, I will be launching a coupla balloons this week-end thanking the guy who made me what I am today. See ya next month…………….. Oh yeah, I rigged the plastic do-hickey and the garage door is back in service, Al woulda been proud of me. Guest Column GRHost David Well, it’s spring again and time to “fire up” the ole grill. Last year I gave a couple of suggestions on actual cooking and if you want to call them this, recipes. This year I’d like to go over a few safety tips about grills in general. Grilling should be a pleasurable experience, not an accident waiting to happen. Location is everything. Grills need to be kept away from houses, fences, trees and anything else with a propensity for burning. This includes all around the grill as well as above. A good idea is to stand in front of your grill and imagine the flare-up from hell. Will everything in the area be OK? If the answer is yes then, you have a good location. Be prepared to fight a fire. Having close access to water or a fire extinguisher is a very good idea. Remember that water can cause grease fires to literally explode so if you need to put out a grease fire you need to be a safe distance from it. If you go with a fire extinguisher, make sure you know how to use it. When you do need to use it you might not have time to read the instructions. Keep flammable materials far away from your grill. Make sure that the person in charge of grilling has a clear head and is not distracted from his/her duties. (What this says to me. Don’t drink too many beers before grilling. lol) Gas Grills In the U.S., The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission wants consumers to know that as of April 1, 2002, all propane gas tanks sold to consumers for barbecue grills must have a new safety device. The over-fill prevention device will help to avoid propane leaks that can cause fires and explosions. The new propane gas tanks have valve handles with three "lobes" (prongs) while older tanks have valve handles with five prongs. Beginning last April only the new propane tanks will be sold or refilled nationwide. People with older propane gas tanks will need to get the new, safer tanks when they go for a refill. Also, if you purchase a new grill these days, you’ll usually have to purchase a new tank. Grill manufactures are not including tanks with the grill. So expect an additional charge for the tank. Here are some safety tips to reduce the risk of fire or explosion with gas grills: Check grill hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes, and leaks. Make sure there are no sharp bends in the hose or tubing. Move gas hoses as far away as possible from hot surfaces and dripping hot grease. Always keep propane gas containers upright. Never store a spare gas container under or near the grill or indoors. Never store or use flammable liquids, like gasoline, near the grill. Never keep a filled container in a hot car or car trunk. Heat will cause the gas pressure to increase, which may open the relief valve and allow gas to escape. Never bring the propane tank into the house. Make sure your spark igniter is generating a spark. Check your igniter before you turn your gas valve on. The best time to do a check is when it’s dark, you’ll be able to see the spark clearly. When lighting a gas grill use the 10 to 5 rule. If the grill does not start within 10 seconds, turn off the gas, leave the lid open and give it 5 minutes before you try again. Propane gas can develop into a large cloud quickly. Frequently check gas lines for leaks. Brushing soapy water over the hoses and connectors will show you any potential leaks. Make sure you go over every part of the gas line from the tank to the burner. If you find a leak you need to replace that part before you grill again. Make sure that the fire is out when you are done. With a gas grill turn off the control valves and the tank valve. Make sure that any burning grease is put out and let the grill cool completely before you cover it. Charcoal Grills Never burn charcoal inside of homes, vehicles, tents, or campers. Charcoal should never be used indoors, even if ventilation is provided. Since charcoal produces CO fumes until the charcoal is completely extinguished, do not store the grill indoors with freshly used coals. Do not store lighter fluids in close proximity to your grill. If a can of lighter fluid gets too hot it can explode. Store charcoal briquettes in a dry place. Do not store them in a damp area as moist briquettes will not light properly. Use enough charcoal briquettes to completely cover the bottom of the grill. Before lighting the charcoal, soak it with lighter fluid and with a long “fireplace match” or a specially designed long nose lighter, light the briquettes in a couple of places around the edge of the pile and allow the flame to spread. When the coals are white, spread them over the bottom of the grill completely. Always allow the charcoal briquettes to burn down to a white-colored ash before cooking. Additional charcoal briquettes may need to be added if cooking foods for a long period of time. Never add lighter fluid or any flammable liquid to a burning fire. Make sure that the fire is out when you are done. Replace the lid and close all vents. Let charcoal burn out and wait about 48 hours before disposing of ashes. You can find many grilling recipes online for every type and taste of “cookable” food. (No Phil, you can’t grill ice cream.) Use any search engine to look for them; key words: BBQ, Grilling, Outdoor cooking, etc. Also, here are a few links that may help. Barbecue'n On The Internet Barbecue Recipes and Grill Information from Barbecue & Grilling at About.com bbqsearch.com Your portal to the world of BBQ or is it barbecue, barbeque, brisket All Recipes | Barbeque For all you Texans and “Wanna-Be” Texans.. texas style barbecue,texmex,bbq,bar-bq cooking,free recipes ENJOY!!!!!! Poetry Corner It's In the Valley I Grow Sometimes life seems hard to bear, Full of sorrow, trouble and woe It's then I have to remember That It's In the Valley I grow. If I always stayed on the mountain top And never experienced pain, I would never appreciate God's love And would be living in vain. I have so much to learn And my growth is vary slow, Sometimes I need the mountain tops But it's in the valley I grow. I do not always understand Why things happen as they do, But I'm vary sure of one thing, My Lord will see me through. My little valleys are nothing  When I picture Christ on the cross He went through the valley of death; His victory was Satan's loss. Forgive me lord, for complaining When I'm feeling so vary low. Just give me a gentle reminder That it's in the valley I grow. Continue to strengthen me, Lord And use my life each day To share your love with others And help them find their way. Thank you for valleys, Lord For this one thing I know The mountain tops are glorious But it's in the valley I grow! ~Author~ Mary N. Nelson Request from an Author I am a writer and am working on a book concerning loss and butterfly. In 2000, I self-published a children's book on butterflies (how to attract, interesting facts, etc). When I started giving presentations to garden clubs on butterfly gardening, I was surprised when someone would often come up after the talk to tell me a story of being spiritually touched by the uncanny appearance of a butterfly at a very dark time in their life. For instance, when a grieving mother begged God for a sign that her daughter was still with her, she looked up into the stormy sky to see a huge butterfly shaped cloud. After I spoke at the national convention of the Bereaved Parents of the USA in Dallas (my home), they were kind enough to put a blurb in their newsletter asking for anyone who wanted to share a story with me to please email me. The response was wonderful. Eventually, this all led to collecting these stories and along with some butterfly history, I am writing a book. I have an agent now and am working on collecting more stories. Most of the stories I have now deal with the loss of a child and I would also love to hear from someone who has lost someone in their life - spouse, sibling, friend etc. Judy Hominick www.riverrunning.com Editors Note: Please contact Judy directly at her website if you have a story you would like to share If you would like to submit a recipe or poem for publication in this newsletter, please send your submission to newsletter@groww.org To unsubscribe to this email click reply with UNSUBSCRIBE in the Subject Line. For questions about this Newsletter or to submit an article, email newsletter@groww.org