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Neighbors helping neighbors through life As demand for WinterSpring services has grown, funding efforts pick up By Jonel Alecia Without WinterSpring, Andy Nordstrom�s closest friends say they�d still be struggling through the fog of grief that surrounded the 16-year-old Ashland boy�s suicide last December. But after six months of meeting with a counselor from the Medford center for coping with death, the teenagers say the hurt is healing, even though the loss will linger. "In the group, you just take a weight off your chest," said Spencer Pierce, 16, who�d been friends with Nordstrom since second grade at Ashland�s Helman Elementary School. "You could talk about anything. They just had it set up for us, so we went." The six-member Ashland group was one of several youth grief gatherings formed during one of the grimmest years for teen tragedies in recent memory, said Donna Taylor, executive director for WinterSpring. Suicides, car accidents and drownings claimed the lives of at least nine young people this year, forcing the agency to more than double its outreach efforts in area schools. "We�ve served 56 teens in seven groups since January," said Taylor. "In the past, the most we have ever had is three." In 1999, WinterSpring offered grief groups, forums and other services to more than 500 people in Jackson County coping with loss or life-threatening illness. Services are provided by a combination of paid and volunteer staff. Last year, more than 2,600 hours of counseling were available, Taylor says, including one-to-one guidance for nearly 80 people struggling with grief. That�s in addition to basic to education services offered through public service announcements, presentations and distribution of literature explaining how grief is manifested in daily life. "A lot of what we�ve been trying to do is educate the general public," Taylor said. "Our goal is for neighbor to help neighbor." Ironically, demand for WinterSpring services has peaked just as funding for the nonprofit agency has dwindled following the rejection of several grant requests. "We are a small program and we�re very frugal; unfortunately the money we got went real fast this spring," said Taylor, who oversees an annual budget of about $80,000. She�s spearheading a fund-raising drive now, trying to raise some $20,000, most of which will go to continue programs that serve teens. "To me, it�s just an age group that has such a particular need," said Taylor. "I was optimistic about the grants, but in this case, my optimism was misplaced." Offering professional help to cope with grief is common practice in schools locally and across the country. Local school administrators contact WinterSpring within days of a tragedy, hoping that early intervention will reach kids at risk for depression or copycat actions. Quick action was comforting, say the six Ashland students who turned to WinterSpring after Nordstrom�s death. Family members said the boy shot himself after ingesting psychedelic mushrooms. For friends, coping with the swirl of rumors that raced through the community compounded the emotions of loss. "It was very frustrating about having to hear it all around town," said Natalie Glucklich, 16. "After something like that happens, there�s so much you want to say and you want to say it to your closest friends." The group met twice a week for months, then once a week, and now they gather sporadically. Most teen grief groups last six to eight weeks, Taylor said. The young people say the WinterSpring group offered information about what to expect from grief: its stages, symptoms and effects. Plus, the facilitator listened openly to the kids� concerns about sensitive topics such as drug use. "It was a lot of stuff too weird to talk about around adults," Glucklich said. "But she wasn�t going to judge us." The group also helped the young people cope with the frustration of seeing other friends continue using drugs and indulging in other behaviors that led to Nordstrom�s death. "It really sucks that people haven�t learned anything," said Isaac Wright, 16. "This was enough for me." WinterSpring may be contacted at 772-2527. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA