TRU Volunteer Connection Zoom Meeting Schedule and Opportunities
10/23 Green Burials 12:15pm-1:45pm – Mary Reilly-McNellan, Project Manager, Columbia Cemetery Preservation Project; City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Department (retired) m.mcnellan@msn.com
Mary’s interest in environmental conservation has led to a newfound passion for promoting greener death care and burial options. A founding member of the non-profit “Green Burial Boulder County,” Mary also enjoys being a volunteer and writer for “Natural Transitions,” a magazine that helps to promote holistic and green death care. She will not Rest In Peace until green burial is an option in Boulder County!
10/28 Death Café 5:30pm-7:30pm Zoom link to join is (850 229 3682) Kim Mooney, ADEC Certification in Thanatology Practically-Dying.com
There have been more than 12,000 Death Cafes around the world. Friends and strangers get together to talk about … whatever comes up. No agendas and no directions except to be respectful and make sure that everyone who wants to share has time to. Sometimes we talk about an exotic tradition someone has seen on the other side of the world. Sometimes the topics are closer to home. Here are a couple of conversations starters. Bring your own thoughts!!
·
Have
you ever been with someone when they died?
·
What
do you think happens after you die? Are you curious or afraid?
·
Has
living in this time with COVID changed the way you look at death
·
What
are some of our choices around how we die?
· Would you want to know the date of your death?
10/30 “If these Stones Could Talk: Tales from Columbia Cemetery, Boulder, Colorado” – Mary Reilly-McNellan Project Manager, Columbia Cemetery Preservation Project; City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Department (retired) m.mcnellan@msn.com
Let's Celebrate Halloween!
Mary Reilly-McNellan has long been interested in death, dying, and old cemeteries. After working as a Boulder Mountain Parks Ranger for many years, Mary’s interest in history landed her a position as a preservation manager for Boulder's historic Columbia Cemetery. She spent 17 years obtaining grants and managing the Cemetery’s preservation efforts for the Boulder Parks and Recreation Department. During this time, she founded and coordinated the award-winning Columbia Cemetery Conservation Corps, a group of dedicated community volunteers who perform simple repairs and documentation tasks in Columbia. Mary has provided cemetery conservation workshops for various groups around the country, and is a co-author of the award-winning book,“If These Stones Could Talk; Tales from Columbia Cemetery.”
For additional enjoyment: Ask the Mortician: Girl Talk with the Dead! (Learn about the birth of Spiritualism - Don’t be scared by the ads. Proceeds will be donated to support the work of an individual: Cheyney McKnight, a performance artist and historian who creates educational programing about slavery and the African experience during the 18th and 19th Centuries. Even the out-takes are fun to watch! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPMJin0BTqE
11/5 Coping with the Holidays When You Are Grieving
1:00
PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Brandy Queen, LPC Seniors Counselor and Resource Education Coordinator | she, her, hers - Senior Services | City of Longmont
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/95871996933
Meeting ID: 958 7199 6933 Dial by your location: 720-707-2699
11/6 Book Club: When Breath Becomes Air - Dr. Paul Kalanithi
11/11
We Honor Veterans Program: Documentary - Return
to Nam 7:00pm It is never too late to say thank you and take a wrong
and make it right. Please join us for this powerful documentary on love and
healing for the men and women who served in Vietnam.
11/13 Veteran Program: Qualified Listeners 12:15-1:45pm - Greg Goettsch will share his personal story of being a Vietnam Veteran and how he started his program.
11/13 COMEDY SHOW 7:30pm - Vinnie Montez. As a 20 plus year veteran of law enforcement, his experiences as a cop and his Mexican heritage are the foundation for his comedy: you just can’t make some of this stuff up. Vinnie got into comedy in 2007 as a means of addressing the stress and trauma of dealing with horrible situations. His first comedy special debut was on Dry Bar Comedy, released in 2019, Vinnie Montez: Armed & Hilarious. With a focus on telling funny stories about being a police officer and promoting better mental health for the men and women in blue, he is a favorite at events around the nation.
11/20 Veteran Program: Pending
12/2 1-2:30: The Conversation Project: New Volunteer Training. We are looking for volunteers! If you are interested in becoming a trained Conversation Coach for The Conversation Project in Boulder County, please join us for our last 2020 session. You will learn about the history of The Conversation Project, advance directive basics, and how to help people have these vital conversations with those that matter most. AmandaMeier@trucare.org
12/2 TRUvie Movie: Pending - Coco
If you have not seen it, it is a classic. Its simple themes of family, music, life and death, especially in these troubling times, are more than enough to make it a force for good in the world. Miguel and his family are at odds over his love of music. There is a hard, fast rule that music in any capacity isn’t allowed and there is no discussion or real explanation. After a large argument, Miguel runs off, only to end up in the Land of the Dead, where he meets his ancestors and his adventure begins. The truly touching thing about “Coco” is that it accepts death as part of life. In a country that regularly aims to make us forget about such things, simply acknowledging it brings a beauty of its own.
The Farewell
The family of the elderly Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen) learn that she is dying and has about three months to live. They decide not to tell her, instead using a family wedding as a chance to make their goodbyes without her knowing. The situation affects her granddaughter, Billi (Awkwafina) the most, who has come over from America for the wedding and is in turmoil about whether Nai Nai should be told the truth. The film finds its soul in how the family carries their grief, and the toll it takes on them. Almost oblivious to it all is Nai Nai, brought to life with such wonderful zest and attitude by Shuzhen. Her marrying of genuine affection and unbridled sass provides some welcome comedic relief.
More than a story of cultural differences, The Farewell is a look at honesty and openness. There are moments where Billi speaks English and immediately excludes many of her relatives from the conversation. This startling disconnect characterizes Billi’s family dynamics, and Nai Nai is often the one keeping them together.
12/4 Book Club: Final Gifts by Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley "For everyone who has been or ever will be close to someone who is dying, this book is aimed at helping them to understand not only what the experience of death is like, but also how to interpret the symbolic messages by which the dying attempt to communicate their needs to us. ... Google Books
Additional Book Club Option: The Five Invitations by Frank Ostaseksi
12/9 1-2:30: The Conversation Project: New Volunteer Training. We are looking for volunteers! If you are interested in becoming a trained Conversation Coach for The Conversation Project in Boulder County, please join us for our last 2020 session. You will learn about the history of The Conversation Project, advance directive basics, and how to help people have these vital conversations with those that matter most. AmandaMeier@trucare.org
12/11 Pending - PBS Newshour: Why African-American seniors are less likely to use hospice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dypoYEvBfs4 Black seniors are more likely than whites and Latinos to forgo hospice care. Due to deeply felt religious beliefs and a long history of discrimination in the U.S., African-American patients are often reluctant to plan for the end of their lives, and more skeptical when doctors suggest stopping treatment. Special correspondent Sarah Varney reports on efforts to change some of those beliefs. Gather with us to watch this short video and engage in some insightful discussion following.
12/18 Pending Volunteer Holiday Celebration – Greetings from Michael, Mark and Bingo game
12/25 NO Meeting Today - Merry
Christmas!!!
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