Good Samaritan Hospice and Palliative Care to Host Family Fun Fair in Support of Grief Services

After losing her daughter unexpectedly in 2022, Vincennes resident Tami Kinman found her world turned upside down. Having previously experienced the loss of parents, siblings, and close friends, Tami believed she understood grief — until the devastating loss of her daughter, Shelby Mendez.

“I thought I knew grief,” Tami shared. “But nothing prepared me for the overwhelming pain of losing my daughter. It completely broke me.”

Tami’s healing journey began several months later when she discovered Good Samaritan’s Hospice Grief Support Group — a community that offered her understanding, compassion, and hope.

“I remember sitting through the first few meetings just crying,” she said. “But no one questioned me. Everyone just accepted me. Over time, I began to feel a little stronger.”

Now, more than a year into her healing journey, Tami describes the group as life-saving. “The people in that room knew what it felt like to be broken,” she said. “They helped me find tools to cope. Honestly, I believe this group helped save my life.”

In honor of stories like Tami’s and to raise awareness for grief support services, Good Samaritan Hospice and Palliative Care will host its first-ever Family Fun Fair on Saturday, June 7, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST at Highland Woods Park in Vincennes.

The event will offer a full day of fun for the whole family, including:

• Inflatables and bounce houses
• Face painting
• Carnival games
• Food trucks
• Dunk tank
• Contests and prizes
• A cornhole tournament

Children’s wristbands will be available for $15, granting access to all inflatables and carnival games. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Good Grief Support Group and Camp Memiki, a grief camp for children.

Makenzie Barrett, RN, Nurse Manager for Hospice and Palliative Care at Good Samaritan, says the event is a chance to celebrate life while raising awareness.

“Grief can be an isolating experience,” Barrett said. “Our goal is to let people know they are not alone, and that support is available. The Family Fun Fair is a joyful way to connect with our community and spread that message.”

Good Samaritan’s Good Grief Support Group meets every other Thursday at 6 p.m. EST in the Cancer Pavilion, located at 520 S. Seventh Street in Vincennes. The group is open to anyone navigating the loss of a loved one.

To learn more about the Family Fun Fair or to support Good Samaritan’s grief services, visit gshvin.org/familyfunfair. Those seeking support can also call Hospice at 812-885-8035.