Working with the family of Victim #2, which has not wanted any financial assistance, the #EvergreenStrong Community Recovery Fund will sponsor 10 scholarships for healthcare providers, first responders, teachers, and others in the eye of the storm to attend an intensive, 3-day resiliency training provided by VitalHearts.

Nurses and doctors from Children’s Hospital who worked with the 16-year-old victim of the shootings and members of the Jeffco Sheriff’s Dept. will be included in the offering.  The family felt this was a good way to show their appreciation for all that was done to help their son, according to the Victim’s Advocate interfacing on behalf of the family.

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VitalHearts provides resiliency training to care-providers who work in the most challenging human services and the high morbidity medical services.  The program has been presented 187 times to 4,100 providers to date.  The entire program for 24 participants carries a cost of $31,200 or $1,300 per participant. 

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Providing critical care in incidents like this “makes huge emotional demands on those who do this work,” says Evergreen resident Mary Pat DeWald, who has been on the board of directors for VitalHearts since its start in 2008.  “This second-hand exposure multiplied case after case has the likely effect of traumatizing care-providers and that, in turn, diminishes effectiveness, creates compassion fatigue, and shorten their tenure.  Our program revitalizes, often save, the careers of care-providers experiencing compassion fatigue.”

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If other groups would like to sponsor additional spots for others impacted by the September 10th shootings, please contact Linda Kirkpatrick, Executive Director for the Evergreen Legacy Foundation at lindakirkpatrick@comcast.net or by calling 303-808-0862.

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The three-day program is expected to be scheduled in February near Evergreen.  Details will be forthcoming.