ADOPTED - MAY 28, 2002

Agenda Item No. 7

Introduced by Commissioner Krause of the:

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

RESOLUTION CONGRATULATING ELE'S PLACE ON THE BEGINNING OF THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS OF THEIR NEW FACILITY AND THANKING THEM FOR THE SERVICE THEY PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY

RESOLUTION #02-135

WHEREAS, Ele's Place is a nonprofit, community-based organization whose mission is to create awareness of and support for grieving children and their families, and

WHEREAS, Ele's Place serves over 160 children plus their family members each week providing a safe atmosphere in which healing can take place following the death of a family member or important friend; and

WHEREAS, Ele's Place was established in 1991 and is named in honor of Ele Stover, who died in 1989 at the age of 11 months, she is survived by four siblings whose lives will be forever affected by her life and death; and

WHEREAS, "Ele" also represents the organization's philosophy of Embracing Loss Effectively, by sharing their feelings and memories with others in peer support groups, children and their families learn to accept their loss and begin the healing process; and

WHEREAS,.on May 23, 2002, Ele's Place broke ground marking the start of the construction process for a new building on Oakland Avenue, adjacent to St. Lawrence Hospital in Lansing which will serve as Ele's Place's first permanent home; and

WHEREAS, as a result of a year-long capital campaign, $2.4 million was raised to construct a new facility which will allow the organization to double its support for grieving children and end a waiting list for new families.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners hereby congratulate Ele's Place on a successful capital campaign and the beginning of the construction process of a new permanent facility in Ingham County.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Commissioners thanks Ele's Place for the many contributions they have made to the community as mid-Michigan's healing center for grieving children.

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Amy Krause