Oak Brook, IL— Recognized as a professional who has contributed greatly in the area of supporting bereaved families after the death of a child, Michael Mims, president and owner of Cherokee Child Caskets in Griffin, Georgia has been awarded the Professional Award by the nation’s largest self-help bereavement organization, The Compassionate Friends.

“Michael’s quiet support of bereaved families exemplifies the best in companies that interact with those grieving the loss of a precious child,” says Patricia Loder, executive director of The Compassionate Friends. She presented the award to Mr. Mims at the recent Compassionate Friends National Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota as more than 1,000 bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents looked on in appreciation.

Cherokee Casket, founded in 1941, specializes in and only supplies handcrafted infant, children’s, and youth caskets to the funeral industry. To support bereaved families, Mr. Mims’ company sponsors and then purchases special reprinting of The Compassionate Friends brochure, “Understanding Grief After a Child Dies.” A copy is then included in every casket that the company ships in the United States and around the world, more than 10,000 a year. “As a bereaved parent I truly feel The Compassionate Friends is an organization of compassionate friends willing and able to offer support to bereaved families,” says Michael Mims. For more information about Cherokee Casket Company, visit them on the web at www.cherokeechildcaskets.com or call 800-535-8667.
The Compassionate Friends has more than 630 chapters in the United States offering support to bereaved families. Annually the organization sponsors The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting the second Sunday in December in remembrance of all children who have died at any age from any cause. Many bereavement organizations and groups, including funeral homes, sponsor services open to the public in conjunction with the event.

For more information about The Compassionate Friends and its many programs for bereaved families, call toll-free 877-969-0010 or visit them on the web at www.compassionatefriends.org. Also on Facebook at The Compassionate Friends/USA.