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Joe
and Sharon Drewry
Pictured
above (left to right) the Drewry family: Taylor, Joe, Sharon and Joseph.
According
to the 2000 Census, 6.7 million grandparents are the primary care givers
to their grandchildren, and this phenomenon is on the increase. These
children generally come from homes and parents where there are mental
health issues or drug/alcohol addiction. Joe and Sharon Drewry are part
of the 6.7 million grandparents who are rearing their grandchildren, and
with their help and leadership, a grandparents support group recently
was established to assist others like them. For their dedication to this
group, they have been chosen as our August Pathfinders.
Joe
and Sharon were like a lot of people their age. Sharon always actively
volunteered for a number of things including Scouting, youth sports, Make-A-Wish
Foundation, home owner's associations and church activities. Joe has worked
in the group insurance industry for more than 30 years. Their children
were grown with families of their own, and they were enjoying this time
in their lives.
However,
when the Drewry's son and daughter in-law could not care for their two
young children Taylor, age 5 and Joseph, age 4, Joe and Sharon petitioned
for custody of the children, which was granted to them in 2003.
They
lived in Indiana at the time and were in the process of starting a grandparents
support group there before deciding to move to the Atlanta area to be
closer to the rest of their family. Shortly after relocating to the Towne
Lake area, they were on the ground floor of starting a support group here.
They currently have 25 families who are part of this independent support
group which meets at Transfiguration Catholic Church in Marietta.
This
support group has been vital to the Drewry's as well as the other families.
Joe and Sharon attend meetings regularly so there's always a familiar
face there, and they help arrange speakers as well as activities for the
group. It binds these unique families together and gives needed support
during what can be difficult transitions for everyone. "At our age, raising
two young children is the last thing we wanted to do," commented Joe.
"It's tough readjusting to having little ones around again and things
like finding babysitters, a house in a good school district and having
a social life with our peers has been some of the challenges we thought
were behind us," he continued.
A
lot of these families also experience difficulties with their grown children
because of the change in the family structure, especially if the grandparents
decide to adopt the grown children's nieces or nephews, which is often
done for economic reasons. "Suddenly, your niece or nephew is now your
sibling. It's a lot to absorb."
"When
you adopt your grandchildren, the relationship with the biological parent
is severed, and that's a tremendous loss. To have a place to go where
people are in the same situation and can offer help to one another is
essential," he continued.
Groups
such as the one Joe and Sharon helped start are working with elected officials
to sponsor legislation which will help grandparents in this situation.
According to Joe, unlike foster parents, there aren't any financial reimbursement
to grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. Hopefully, with efforts
such as theirs, this will change in the future.
Joe
and Sharon, thank you for all you do to make our community a better place
to live!
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