On December 14, 2012 an extreme tragedy struck Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. When a tragedy of this type hits it’s more than just the community that’s affected; the entire country feels the pain and loss of those innocent lives cut short. The shooting has left us deeply saddened and while we ponder the senselessness of it and find a deeper appreciation for our loved ones, we must also use this time to help make a difference.

The families of Newtown will never be the same, yet we hope that they are able to find comfort — no matter how small — in the support of the larger community. We’re donating (as both a company and as individual members of the St. Pete and Austin teams) to the United Way in support of the Sandy Hook Elementary School fund. We invite you and your organization to join us as we help to raise funds for the victims’ families.  We can’t bring their loved ones back but we can show them that they are not alone. Please help.

A letter from our COO, JP Guilbault:

I arrive this Monday morning with a heavy heart.  I’m sure by now all of us have heard of the tragic event and details of the shooting in Newtown, CT that has left 26 people dead and hundreds of family members experiencing the deepest pain and sadness one can feel—the loss of their child or loved-one.

There is no sense or understanding to be found, but there is opportunity to express condolences and offer words of comfort.  YourMembership.com has launched an initiative to raise money for those impacted by Friday’s tragedy. You can help by donating to the United Way’s Sandy Hook School Support fund.

While there is no amount of giving or words to say that can replace that which was lost, we can act and signal to those affected that they are in our thoughts and we share their pain.

At times like these we reflect on what is most important to us.  Like you, this time of year and the holidays offer me the opportunity to be close with those that matter most – my family and friends.  I look forward to this Friday when I travel home to see my children.  I’m one of the lucky parents in the world this coming holiday – I will arrive home to  hear the voices and laughter of my three children, and to unwrap gifts and create memories that will last on forever.  There are many parents in Connecticut this holiday that won’t have that opportunity.  My heart goes out to them.

To all of you, leverage your friends, family, and the many available resources to express your feelings, alleviate your grief, and release the stress this may bring.  Thank you for all you do, take care of one another, and find the time to see the bright spots the days ahead will bring.

“Look at everything always as though you were seeing it either for the first time or the last time:  Thus is your time on earth filled with glory.”