Make-up for a fabulous woman-Kate Atwood
I always say I am inspired by so many different women in Atlanta who have such amazing gifts. One woman who I greatly respect & admire, and who has filled up my heart with love is Kate Atwood. Her name is a familiar one around town as she is the driving force behind the phenomenal organization-Kate’s Club.
Kate’s Club is an organization designed to empower children and teens facing life after the death of a parent or sibling. Kate’s Club was founded in June 2003 by Kate who lost her mother at the age of 12. She was inspired to help other children unite with their peers who shared a similar loss experience so they would know they were not alone in their grieving. Kate’s Club started with six children, their families and an outing to a local bowling alley. Now just six years later, the organization has touched the lives of around 250 children, over 100 volunteers and the organization has a curriculum of four main programs providing social, recreational and emotional support to the children of Kate’s Club. They support the club’s purpose of providing grieving children and their families with an environment where they can re-engage in life and turn a potentially debilitating loss into a growth opportunity. The vision of Kate’s Club is to create a world where it is okay to grieve for the lost.
The four programs Kate’s Club employs are:
Fun: Children love to have fun, to play and laugh. Kate’s Club provides programs where kids can learn to continue to enjoy their childhood, their lives through their grief journey.
Community: Death and grief are not openly discussed in American society. Providing children with a peer group of children and mentors that share a similar experience rebuilds a fundamental social foundation currently not being provided in many communities, including Atlanta. At Kate’s Club, they create a community where our kids can feel safe to be kids and to share their stories of loss and create memories of life.
Safety: People don’t share unless they feel safe. Kate’s Club is focused on creating a healing environment where participants find comfort in sharing when they are ready.
Long-term: Children who lose a loved one are at greater risk for development of behavioral issues two years following the loss than they were immediately or one year after the loss. Recognizing that grief is a long-term issue and not an event, Kate’s Club provides long-term support to children as they continue to face the challenges of life after a loved one has died.
I’m doing Kate’s make-up for the “lucky” 7th annual Kate’s Club Cabaret which will take place next Friday, August 20 at the W Hotel Downtown. I’m so thrilled to have been asked by Kate to do her make-up. I know she’ll look gorgeous. I know this event has raised not only funds, but tremendous awareness for Kate’s Club every year. I’m so proud to be a part of that.
I also wanted to mention that Kate was recently featured on The Today Show & in USA Today talking about her organization and her recently published book, Do Your Giving While You Are Living. I know this was a huge moment for Kate & I, along with some many others, are so proud of her! I hope to see each & every one of you at this year’s Cabaret! Purchase your tickets today!
