CaringMatters 2021
Jerry Gimmel Loyalty Award
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Colleen Luzier
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Volunteers are the heart of CaringMatters. However, certain volunteers set the heartbeat. Colleen Luzier is one of those exceptional volunteers whose leadership and dedication creates great impact and positive change. Drawing on an expansive career with nonprofits and as a group facilitator, she first came to the organization to lead an activity for grieving children at Camp Caring. After attending Volunteer Training, she became a volunteer caregiver and Good Grief Club facilitator, joined the Board of Trustees and then became a Board Member. As the Board’s Governance Chair, she took the lead on key endeavors.
Ms. Luzier is also the visionary force, funder, developer and key facilitator of the Bereaved Caregivers Retreat, a program that has been life-changing for attendees. “Our goal is for the Retreat to be transformative for participants,” she said. “We create a safe space to acknowledge loss and vulnerability, to trust their strength and courage, and to allow for the possibility of feeling joy again.”
Ms. Luzier’s support has extended to fundraising auctions, generous event sponsorships, attendance at community education events and representation at community events. Additionally, her profound essay on the Bereaved Caregiver's Retreat was featured in the 2020 Keepsake Book. Ms. Luzier will always be a treasured member of the CaringMatters family as she continues to volunteer as a Trustee and remain engaged with the Caregivers Retreat and other programs.
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