8A | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2019 | COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
Support from A1
the holidays.
“We talk about ways
your loved one can be
honored around the holi-
days,” said Bedford. “You
can do things like light
a special memorial can-
dle or … when everyone
comes together to talk
about the loved one, offer
a toast in remembrance.”
The session, which will
be facilitated by Chap-
lain Stephen Landale,
provides an environment
which is part educational
and part conversational.
Facilitators of the groups
teach about grief and
the coping mechanisms,
opening up the oppor-
tunity for people to talk
about how grief affects
them.
“Some people come in
with feelings of guilt or
what they wished they
had accomplished when
their loved one was here,”
said Bedford. “What we
try to do is … not fix
the way they’re feeling.
We don’t want to tell
them how they ought to
feel. We walk with them
through those emotions
and not around them.”
Facilitators come with
their own outline of what
they want to accomplish,
but largely allow the
group to decide where to
take the conversation. Fa-
cilitators may also bring
poetry and encourage
journaling and artistic ex-
pression.
The program pro-
motes a “Mourner’s Bill
of Rights,” which includes
having “rights” to gain au-
thorship over the various
aspects of one’s life in-
cluding expressing emo-
tion, reminiscing, creat-
ing rituals and guilt-free
expressions of happiness.
“It’s okay to feel sad.
It’s okay to feel good. It’s
okay to cry. It’s okay to
lower your expectations
on yourself,” Bedford ex-
plained. “I believe you can
never really get over your
loss, but find ways to cope
with it and deal with it.”
Many can find them-
selves alone with their
thoughts and memories
of lost loved ones during
the holidays, which may
exacerbate a sense of iso-
lation.
“Our culture can be
kind of standoffish to
grief,” said Bedford, “or
people have the mental-
ity of ‘It’s been a month
since you lost your loved
COURTESY PHOTO
From left: Bereavement Coordinator Joshwa Bedford and Chaplain Stephen
Landale facilitate grief support groups in the area.
one. You can get over it
now and move on with
life,’ when that’s not real-
ity. Grief is not a one-size-
fits-all process.”
Bedford views the sup-
port group as a bold step
for some.
“We like to acknowl-
edge that it takes a lot
of courage to come to a
support group because
… you have your mind
telling you, ‘No, you don’t
need this,’ or, ‘What will
people think of me?’ or,
‘Am I in this alone?” he
said. “I find people to be
very courageous going
to these types of support
groups.”
As many end up return-
ing to sessions, Bedford
said he’s witnessed posi-
tive change.
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“I’ve seen people devel-
op coping skills — build
some kind of resiliency,”
he said. “They’ve built
relationships within the
groups, and I think that’s
probably one of the most
important things, is find-
ing people you can re-
late with and building a
friendship out of that.”
Bedford
encourages
people to continue their
grieving process beyond
the drop-in.
“If they can find oth-
er grief support groups
in the area, I strongly
suggest that,” he said. “If
people want to come up
from Cottage Grove, they
are more than welcome to
come.”
More drop-in support
groups in Cottage Grove
are planned for 2020,
though no dates or times
have been scheduled yet.
For more information,
contact Joshwa Bedford at
541-246-1568 or via email
at jbedford@4signature-
service.com.
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Are you ready?
D ISASTER P REPAREDNESS
OREGON WINTER WEATHER IS STARTING TO SET
IN ACROSS OREGON. ARE YOU PREPARED?
Oregon State Police
Oregon winter weather is starting to set in across Oregon. Are you prepared?
With the increase chances of snow, freezing rain, and ice on the roadways it is
more important than ever to #Knowbeforeyougo.
Checking www.tripcheck.com is the best way to get information on highway closures/construction,
minimum chain requirements and road conditions utilizing their traffi c cameras.
Those traveling in lower elevations, expect rain and wet roadways. Which means you will
need to increase your following distances due to decreased traction on those wet roads.
OSP is also urges all motorists to plan their travels by:
Be prepared in the event you become stuck during your travels- Carry water, food, and blankets in the event you are stuck in your vehicle
during your trip
Put the distractions away. Pull over to use that handheld electronic device, ask as passenger to help or wait to arrive at your destination
to use them.
Watch your speed; often speeding will not get you to your destination any faster. You will fatigue faster, burn more fuel, and create a more
hazardous environment on the highway.
Be extra vigilant in highway work zones. Even when workers are not present, all work zone speed limits still apply and ϐines double. Inac-
tive work zones still have equipment, detours, and incomplete changes in the roadway so drivers need to slow down and be alert.
Get rested before you travel. Fatigued drivers are more frequent during holiday weekends because of increased travel and activity. Be
patient and allow plenty of time to reach your destination.
Wear your safety belt. Ensure your passengers and children are properly restrained too. We see too many crashes were people would
have walked away with minor in any injuries.
Get a designated driver (plan ahead) if you plan on consuming intoxicating substances.
Our partners at Oregon Department of Transporation recently reminded drivers about the dangers of not checking the roads before you go and only utilizing GPS.
When roads are closed and your navigation systems direct you onto a detour route, keep in mind that the device you count on for guidance could instead guide you
into trouble.
Make sure all the pieces are in place to render you and your family prepared in the event of a natural disaster.
• Listen to radio or television newscasts for the latest weather information, and follow all evacuation directions and suggestions.
• Keep a stock of non-perishable food items as well as bottled water on hand inside your home.
• Keep a 72 Hour Kit on hand inside your home that is easy to get to in the event of a disaster.
For more information and tips on disaster response and preparedness, contact your local emergency services center.
South Lane Fire & Rescue • 233 Harrison Ave, Cottage Grove 541-942-4493 • 55 South 1st Street, Creswell 541-895-2506
Twitter: @southlanefi re
Facebook: southlanecountyfi reandrescue