Support group for widows releases balloons for their loved ones

The support group for widows, called LIFT, had a balloon release for their loved ones who have passed away on Sunday, April 18.

The first meeting for the group was back in April of 2018. When it first began, there were only about 21 people who joined at first. Now, they are up to about 30 people.

Meetings are held on the last Sunday of every month in the funeral reception room at Ourso Funeral Home in Gonzales, Louisiana. It begins at 12:30 p.m. and ends around 2:00 p.m.

"LIFT is not grief counseling or a dating service. It's about socializing. It's about getting someone out of their house when they may want to be alone after losing someone they love," Stacy Savoy, Coordinator of the group, said.

Networking, trivia games, bingo, lunch, and team building are just a few of the things you could expect by attending a meeting. LIFT encourages people to invite widowed neighbors or friends, and is open to all age groups.

"I see people who keep coming back time and time again, so I know they really enjoy the friendships that they're making here, as well as the fun that they're having," Savoy said.

April marks their one year anniversary for starting the program, so they decided to celebrate with a balloon release. However, members of LIFT were offered the opportunity to attach a letter to their loved one onto the balloon. This way, when they were released, the letter would be sent into the sky for their loved one to read.

Follow Darian on Twitter @dariangshark.