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Students set shining example at Lighthouse The Lighthouse Program for Grieving Children has earned $10,000 thanks to students from Abbey Park High School and Appleby College. The Lighthouse program is a registered non-profit charity that provides services to children, teens and families grieving the death of a loved one. Two high school groups that took part presented a proposal for a request for funding to the Toskan Casale Foundation won $5,000 grants for the Lighthouse Program. "We're very proud of the students from Abbey Park High School and Appleby College for all the work they put into their presentations and they were all so excited to tell us they had won," said Judy Petrusich, administrative assistant for the Lighthouse program. "The board of directors and staff of The Lighthouse Program for Grieving Children would like to express our heartfelt thanks to these students for their accomplishment," said Petrusich. The Toskan Casale Foundation's Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) is a program that teaches high school students the fundamentals of philanthropy. YPI gives teens the opportunity to learn about problems facing their communities and to be agents of positive change. Abbey Park High School students who won $5,000 for the Lighthouse program included: Daniela Banda Marin, Natalia Fong, Flavia Ceschin, Program Director, Kassandra Kadar and Maryam Alam. The Appleby College students included Daniel Sinclair, Bronwyn Redfern, Heather Salema and Hyun Jun Shin. The Lighthouse program has been in Oakville since 1999. It is free but relies on the community for financial support. The loss of a parent, sibling, friend or caregiver is a lifealtering experience for a child. The Lighthouse offers support to bereaved children and those who are part of their lives. Children are encouraged to share their feelings through peer-supported play. The Lighthouse program is located in a self-contained and specially-renovated house, which offers its participants opportunities to share their emotions with a volunteer while working at the craft table, playing dress up in the Make-believe Play room or blowing off some steam in the Volcano Room. A special Memory Wall holds plaques and photos dedicated to each participant's special person who has died to celebrate their life. Parents meet in a relaxed group setting with a facilitator while their children are participating in their own group. There are ongoing groups for children (ages three to 12) and teens (ages 13 to 18). Extensively trained volunteers called buddies facilitate the groups. For information, contact 905-337-2333 or www.grievingchildrenlighthouse.org. 11 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, August 19, 2009