Survivors Take on New Adventures With Retreats

Our TAPS Retreats program was all over the world in 2016 to facilitate new adventures and unique connections for survivors. More than 500 surviving parents, spouses, significant others, siblings and adult children attended 17 events, including three Empowerment Retreats, a retreat on a working dude ranch, and a gathering with British survivors in the United Kingdom.

Through the TAPS Retreats, survivors pushed themselves to new heights through hiking, swimming with whale sharks, kayaking, snorkeling, dog sledding, snowmachining, fishing, horseback riding and much more, all within a safe space to connect with their peers and learn new ways to move toward hope and healing.

"The beautiful scenery allowed me to feel at peace, happy and the presence of Dan, my fiance," one survivor said about her experience at the Alaska Widows Retreat. "The women were wonderful, so supportive and strong. We all have different experiences and different walks in our grief, but we were brought together by a common factor, which created lifelong friendships. I loved all the different adventures we experienced that I have never done before. It was truly an unforgettable experience."

In 2016, we also joined together with other nonprofit organizations to provide support to survivors, including a partnership with the Gary Sinise Foundation for our Los Angeles Widows Gathering and Hometown Heroes for our Wisconsin Women's Retreat.

Next year, we're looking forward to revisiting some of our favorite Retreat destinations such as Arizona, Alaska and South Carolina, as well as exploring new destinations in Philadelphia, Lake Tahoe and Germany!