Giving Thanks:
Growing and Evolving With Great People on the Journey
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.” – John F. Kennedy
This past year has afforded BRRC an opportunity to grow, learn, organize, scramble and to be incredibly grateful. We started our organization with the idea that bullying targets and their families would not need to wade through trauma of bullying alone. I describe us as being an organization that is in the “deep end” of the pool. We are here when the system and the school are not addressing bullying. We jump in with the family and empower them to swim to the side of the pool. The family often feels like they are drowning, and we can offer support, hope, ideas and resources to assure the child is safe.
Gratitude is defined as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” Indeed, we at BRRC are incredibly grateful for the tribe of people we get to interact and work with. We are deeply thankful to so many that have joined us on some or all of this journey. We couldn’t do it without you!
Clients: We have met the most incredibly brave, powerful and hearty families in our advocacy work with BRRC. The parents we have spoken with are dedicated, loving and generally exhausted by the time they have contacted us. In the past year we have worked one-on-one with over 75 families in Colorado. We are honored to meet such amazing families who don’t give up. You are the life-blood of our organization.
Resources: BRRC uses, provides and recommends resources for our families. We know incredible resources in the legal community, the disability community, the mental health community and the LGBTQ+ community. Our community has taught us so much and has allowed us to better serve the families we assist.
Partners in mental-health, adolescent services, and schools: We have had the opportunity to speak in forums, with mental-health workers, at health-fairs, on podcasts and at schools to educate others about bullying and how to stop it. We host an online forum every other week to speak with “Parents of Bullied Children” on the Circles application. We are grateful to help educate and to become a resource with other partners to help stop bullying.
Volunteers: BRRC is blessed to have volunteers to assist with our advocacy and also with our First Annual 5K this year. Our volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and have an enormous amount of energy, kindness and compassion.
The BRRC Board of Directors: Our board is tasked with growing our organization and providing assistance to bullying targets across Colorado. We have a wealth of knowledge, experience and passion on our BRRC board.
Corporate sponsors/partners and grants: BRRC has received financial support and donations from a variety of organizations and companies in Colorado. In addition, we have been awarded grants this year from The Kiwanis Foundation, The Autrey Foundation, and The Dodge Family Fund.
Individual contributors and supporters: The BRRC supporters come from all of the previous categories I’ve mentioned, and many others who believe in our mission and our work. We are deeply thankful to those who contribute to us and share our information with others. We could not carry out our work of defending bullied children and rebuilding lives without those who believe in our lifesaving work and are willing to tell others about it and help contribute to our organization.
Thank you does not seem to cover the amount of gratitude we have. Putting a stop to bullying and creating a world with more kindness and inclusivity takes the work of all of us. We are enormously grateful for the assistance and help we have been afforded. We appreciate you!
“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” – Eckhart Tolle
By Dru Ahlborg
Executive Director
Bullying Recovery Resource Center