Judi’s House fundraiser features NFL greats Archie Manning and Bob Griese

On May 5 at the Judi’s House Inaugural Speakers Series Luncheon “Strength in the Face of Adversity,” former NFL quarterback legends Archie Manning and Bob Griese will engage in a personal conversation about how the loss of their fathers at a young age a­ffected their personal and professional journeys as athletes, fathers, husbands and men.

Former NFL quarterback and co-founder of Judi’s House, Brian Griese, will lead the conversation with these two remarkable men, and take the audience from the depths of their personal struggles to the peak of their professional triumphs.

The luncheon takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 5 at the Denver Marriott City Center, 1701 Calif. St. Event chairs are Sheila and Hassan Salem and Mimi and Ed Roberson. Honorees are Sharon Magness Blake and Ernie Blake.

Bob Griese lost his father at the age of 10, while Manning lost his father when he was a teenager. Bob’s son, Brian, lost his mother when he was 12 years old. In the Metro Denver area alone, an estimated 30,000 children will experience the death of a parent or sibling before the age of 18. That number climbs to more than 60,000 for the state of Colorado, and more than four million nationally.

While these statistics show the high prevalence of childhood bereavement, most grieving youth do not know other peers their age who have had a parent or sibling die, so they feel alone with their grief.

Brian Griese and his wife, Dr. Brook Griese, a clinical child psychologist who specializes in trauma and loss, founded Judi’s House in 2002, in memory of his mother, Judith Ann Griese. Judi’s House is the only free-standing organization in Metro Denver devoted solely to supporting grieving children and their families through direct service, research and training initiatives.

Recognizing the need for children’s bereavement services beyond Metro Denver, Judi’s House is developing JAG Institute — also named in memory of Brian’s mother, Judith Ann Griese —to expand our reach to other communities, including rural areas that do not have access to effective grief support programs.

JAG Institute will expand upon Judi’s House programs by:

• Training professionals to provide trauma-informed grief services.
• Educating caregivers and communities about supporting grieving youth.
• Offering resources and clinically sound tools to be used by clinicians and families.
• Sharing evaluation and research findings to improve the quality of care for grieving children and families.

More information at www.judishouse.org.