Widowed Friends* – Terms of Membership Agreement

Last updated October 14, 2022

Widowed Friends helps support positive changes to the wellbeing of widows and widowers through inclusion, friendship, and an understanding of the unique challenges widowed people face.

We focus on helping members regain social connections, encourage personal growth and offer support in rebuilding a positive future after loss.

As the Widowed Friends community evolves, the values and guidelines of the group will evolve as well. 

As always, Widowed Friends members, Directors, Staff and Volunteers pledge to treat one another with respect and dignity.

To ensure that we all share in and understand the responsibilities of membership with Widowed Friends, we have established a Terms of Membership Agreement that define our group’s core values to which we hold ourselves and individuals accountable.

  1. Widowed Friends is exclusively for individuals who have lost a spouse or partner and who can attest to Proof of Loss upon request. Supporting documents can be death certificate or obituary notice.
  2. Participation in the Widowed Friends community requires a paid membership, such membership to be in good standing.
  3. Widowed Friends members are to be courteous and respectful to all others within its membership population.
  4. As this is a social group for widowed people, anyone who makes unwelcome advances to individuals within the group will have their membership canceled.
  5. Anyone who utilizes this group in an attempt to solicit money from individuals within the group will have their membership canceled.
  6. Any member who attempts to promote/sell products or services not previously approved by the Organizers and/or for any solicitation of the group or its members will have their membership canceled.
  7. Non-Widowed Friends events are not to be promoted or advertised at an event organized by Widowed Friends, without prior approval from Widowed Friends Ltd. executive team.
  8. Organizers will not condone any forms of harassment, intoxication, inappropriate behavior or conversations including bullying, racism, profanity or conversations of a sexual tone. If you are found to be behaving or communicating in this manner whether on-line or in person, membership will be cancelled.  We also do not condone discussions regarding any political parties.
  9. Widowed Friends members come from different faith traditions. While we respect each member’s right to practice their own religion, any verbal or written communication or the encouragement of participation in their faith or rituals is not permitted within the organization.
  10. Individuals are responsible for their own safety and conduct, including their decision to share personal information with others and to develop friendships outside the group.
  11. Widowed Friends is a community for single widows and widowers – we do not promote dating relationships within the group or allow use of our events for such purpose. We congratulate anyone who remarries while a member of the community, however, as the community is focused exclusively on widowed individuals, remarriage immediately ends membership in the group.
  12. Widowed Friends members acknowledge and agree that Confidential information is the exclusive property of Widowed Friends Ltd. The Confidential information will include all data, intellectual property and member information relating to Widowed Friends Ltd.
  13. Widowed Friends members agree not to solely or jointly with others undertake or join any planning for an organization or any business activity competitive with the current business activities of Widowed Friends. Failing which, membership will be cancelled.
  14. Widowed Friends mission is to ensure a safe environment for all members. Businesses have a duty to protect their staff, volunteers and customers.  In order to provide a safe, worry-free environment for all members, we require all members who wish to attend in-person events be fully vaccinated with a Canadian approved Coronavirus/Covid-19 vaccination. Those who are not vaccinated or still in the vaccination process are welcome to join us on any virtual event.

15. If I choose to participate in an virtual or in-person grief or peer group hosted by Widowed Friends Ltd, at any time during my membership, I, hereby agree and acknowledge to the following

  • I understand and acknowledge that a grief or peer support group hosted by Widowed Friends Ltd is not therapy or a therapeutic group, and that no member/therapist relationship is formed by my participation. 
  • I understand and acknowledge the information provided to me is educational only and does not constitute the provision of medical, psychological or other professional health or grief care treatment services. 
  • In exchange for allowing me to participate, I hereby agree to release Widowed Friends Ltd and their officers, directors, agents and volunteers (the Releases) and anyone associated with the virtual support group from any and all causes of liability, action, claims, demands, requests, damages or any recourse of any personal injures or other damages which may occur or arise as a result of participation in the online virtual grief or support groups. 
  • I have carefully reviewed the Release of Liability Waiver of all Possible Claims and Assumption of Risk. 
  • I acknowledge that I fully understand the terms as set out above. 
  • I acknowledge and agree to the terms of the Release of Liability Waiver of all Possible Claims and Assumption of Risk voluntarily. 

We reserve the right to suspend or cancel a membership from Widowed Friends Ltd at our sole discretion for failure to comply with the Terms of Membership Agreement or if member’s actions/behavior are in direct contravention to the above terms of agreement.

If you have any questions about the Terms of Membership Agreement, please contact us at widowedfriendsltd@gmail.com

Stephanie Etherington
Founder

*Widowed Friends is a name and style that operates under the Widowed Friends Ltd. corporate entity.