Nancy Burkett, owner of Fun(d)raising is working with DJ’s Alliance, an organization started by Jennifer Antonik and her children to develop better suicide prevention methods as well as additional services to families who have lost someone to suicide. One of the events planned to support DJ’s Alliance is a comedy night on June 21 in the Milford High School auditorium at 7:30 PM.
“My efforts with my company are to bring awareness to Jennifer’s cause,” Burkett said. “We work directly with non-profits to help them meet fundraising goals in one night with a comedy show.”
The “Good Grief Comedy Show” will feature a national headliner along with a Delaware State Representative who is a comedian as well as Burkett herself.
“We applaud Jennifer’s efforts to positively address a very important topic with humor, knowing that laughter can bring us together and open our hearts,” Burkett said.
DJ’s Alliance was born out of grief after Antonik’s husband, Ben took his own life a few years ago. Antonik found that there were very few resources for she and her children after his death. She also felt that more should have been available to help prevent his suicide.
“It really upset me that we had to travel out of state to get the support we needed. I felt like we shouldn’t have to,” Antonik said in an interview last month. “I felt that it was a luxury to be able to travel out of state and it was really a luxury we didn’t have. My family has never had a lot of luxuries.”
After being handed what she still calls her “crappy” brochure the night her husband died, she realized that a folded piece of paper was not much comfort for what she and her children would go through in the weeks ahead. As she began looking for assistance, she found there was really nothing for them.
The organization has already helped get HB54 passed in the House of Representatives. This bill would create the first Office of Suicide Prevention in the state, moving a currently vacant position that already exists from another department so there would be no increase in costs. The bill has passed the House but awaits passage in the Senate.
The Good Grief Comedy Show is a family-friendly event with no alcohol sold or permitted. Sponsorships are available and information can be found by visiting here. Tickets to the show are $30 and can be purchased online.
