In our next Volunteer Spotlight, we are proud to highlight Gregg, whose years of dedication, compassion, and steady presence have made a lasting impact at The WARM Place. Gregg’s journey with our community is deeply personal, and his willingness to give his time and heart continues to support countless children and families in their grief. Read on to learn more about Gregg and his meaningful connection to The WARM Place.
Tell us about yourself!
I’m the youngest of four brothers and a couple of half-brothers. Both of my parents were married several times and childhood was pretty chaotic for us. I learned to fight, worry and bottle up my feelings. It took the better part of my adulthood, but I like to think I’ve healed up from most of that. Life is good these days. My three kids are all pretty great adults now. I’ve been sharing my life with the woman of my dreams for a little over 4 years. Laura and I are excited to be almost finished building a new home not far from here. Being a home builder/ remodeler, I get to be the builder on it and also the trim carpenter which is something I have several decades of experience at. When I’m not working, volunteering at The WARM Place or road tripping with Laura, you’ll often find me spending all day on a bicycle or exploring backroads on a motorcycle.
When did you first learn about The WARM Place and what brought you here?
I learned about The WARM Place from a friend, Jeanette Yelvington, when my wife Missy died in late October of 1998. This was 8 1/2 months after our daughter, Avery was born. Kiefer had turned 5 just a couple weeks before and Chandler was a little over 3.
Jeanette introduced Missy and I, and she was at the hospital with me on the night that Missy died. Afterwards, she helped me get through the initial fog of grief while also learning to be a single parent. She’d lost her husband a few years before and brought her son to The WARM Place. For quite a while, we’d talk on the phone most nights after the kids had gone to bed and she’d often slip in the suggestion of checking out The WARM Place. In an embarrassing display of my own ignorance, I remember saying “We don’t need to sit in a circle and cry with a bunch of strangers.” I thought I was tough enough and smart enough to handle it alone, for me and my kids. Like I said, an embarrassing display of ignorance. I didn’t realize that what happens at The WARM Place is basically the same thing that those phone calls were about- sharing your story with someone who cares enough to listen. A year and a half later, I wised up, or maybe gave up, and called The WARM Place. Our time there was such a big help to us that I vowed to come back as a volunteer when my kids were old enough to stay at home alone, which I did. Jeanette also died a few years later, but I’ll always credit her with two of the most important things in my life-my own kids and The WARM Place.
How long have you been volunteering with The WARM Place?
I started volunteering in September of 2010. I received the phone call appropriately enough on Missy’s birthday that I’d been accepted for the September training class.
What is your favorite thing about volunteering with The WARM Place?
My favorite thing about The WARM Place is the connections we make and having a front row seat to the healing that happens there. There are nights that feel like we aren’t making progress because the kids won’t settle down and be serious. I think sometimes they aren’t settling down because they’re happy to be together and having fun just being kids. Honestly, sometimes those nights are kind of great knowing how far they’ve come through their grief to get to that point.
What’s been one of your most memorable moments volunteering at The WARM Place?
Narrowing all of the meaningful memories to one favorite moment is impossible, so I’ll go with the first one that I can remember. I started in preteens and took a while to feel comfortable in groups. It was and still is a great group of mostly 9 and 10-year-olds. One of them in particular seemed to warm up to me more than the rest. She got in the habit of sitting next to me in group and became a great little helper. I’ll never forget that sweet girl. I think it was Winnie the Pooh that said, “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” I have to remind myself of that idea often and will always be more grateful than sad to say goodbye when they are healed enough to leave group.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about volunteering at The WARM Place?
If I’m talking to someone that’s thinking of volunteering at The WARM Place, I’d tell them it’s one of the most rewarding things you can do with your spare time. I’d make sure they know that even though tears are ok in groups, smiles and laughter are far more likely on any given night. Maybe more than anything else, you don’t need a specific skill set or high level of education to do this. I’m a construction guy that went to work, not college after high school. If you care about the kids, they’ll pick up on that and for most, that’s all that matters.
If you’re interested in learning about ways to get involved with The WARM Place as a volunteer facilitator, like Gregg, click here. Our grief support program would not be possible without the 200+ dedicated volunteers. Contact Volunteer Coordinator, Alex Baird, at alex@thewarmplace.org to learn more about the different volunteer opportunities at The WARM Place.
