Allyson Drake
Who better than Allyson Drake to be our December Rock Star?! After all, she really rocks when it comes to helping others and fundraising for non-profits.
Allyson had a dream of creating a place where families could come together and share their stories, pain, and grief as they sought to live life after loss of a loved one. She envisioned, created, and manages Full Circle Grief Center, a nonprofit grief resource center for children and their families. Allyson was also recognized by Style Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for her commitment and support of Richmond non-profits and fundraising.
There’s no charge for any of the services, which include peer groups run by trained grief counselors. Creative arts like art, crafts, writing, and music are used to help children access their feelings. Children do things they already know and love to work through their feelings and emotions with the help of experienced staff at Full Circle.
Full Circle also runs 18 grief support groups in area schools, serving high-risk children who might not otherwise have access to services. Last semester, 40 percent of the children in these groups had experienced two or more significant losses, defined as the deaths of people in their immediate families.
Allyson grew up in Richmond, attended the University of Virginia and moved to Washington for about four years before returning to Richmond. The mother of two young children, she finds that working with grieving families makes her appreciate her life and the people in it. She knows that life is precious and fragile and that’s what drives her to help others every day.
As Executive Director, Allyson and her husband Stephen are dedicated and committed to managing and operating Full Circle so that others can eventually experience joy after loss.
We think Allyson rocks and we know she will enjoy and deserves a massage from Massage Envy! Congratulations Allyson!
