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Family Engagement
On the very rainy Saturday morning of June 1st, I had the opportunity to support Walnut Hill Elementary School’s first Tiger Trot and Health Fair. Families came out and walked or ran the 5K course, or part of it, with amazing energy. Rain? No problem! I heard about it from the school’s Family Engagement Specialist, Ms. Parker, who connected me with the right staff person. So, some fellow members of the Petersburg Wellness Consortium joined me to make sure we could support the event on somewhat short notice (my fault). Bless them! I LOVE the folks in the Petersburg City Public School System’s Family Engagement Department. I’m using the word…
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Blooming…Whatever It Looks Like
A lot of people are thinking about fertilizer this time of year, and lots of other smelly, messy things that make beautiful and vital plants grow. What if we use that as a way of thinking about and addressing ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences)? When I first heard about ACEs and their impact on lifelong health and wellness, it was sobering to discover that a majority of us faced a potentially life-changing traumatic experience when we were children. However, I feel blessed to believe that once you know, it can make all the difference in the world. You can acknowledge and celebrate the fact that no matter how your life looks…
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Spreading The Word About ACEs
I’ve talked a LOT in recent years about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), trauma, resilience-building, and the work I’m doing to help spread the word about them. That work includes helping to organize the 2017 BEYOND ACEs: Building Community Resilience Summit in Petersburg, VA. My beloved father and sister Patricia, who have always been super supportive, came out. In the picture they’re at the H.O.P.E. Fest that was part of the summit. However, I’ve mostly been doing that with people I’m around in Central Virginia, or patient family and friends. Even a friend who runs a security company tolerated my talking about trauma! Thank God he got it, and the impact…
