Lynda Simmons
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About Me
A former resident of Fayetteville, my husband and I retired to Sparta, NC, located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. I founded and directed the Brian Eddie Foundation from 2005-2015, a nonprofit organization that operated on the Restorative Justice model to promote nonviolence, crime prevention, and healing among all victims and perpetrators of crime.
On July 25, 2004, my son, Brian Eddie Colletti, was murdered, beginning a life-altering journey that continues to this day. I am a facilitator of groups, workshops and retreats on a variety of educational, spiritual and self-help topics, utilizing my personal experiences to encourage a greater sense of well-being and peace in individuals; helping to make communities a more tolerant and safer place to live. In 2008, I was awarded the Cumberland County Cares Award for work with the Day Reporting Center at the Cumberland County Probation Department through the Brian Eddie Foundation.
Today I visit schools and other venues as a motivational speaker and continue my work as a passionate restorative justice advocate, participating in prison circles with Restorative Justice Clinic at Campbell Law, I'm a member of the new Leadership Collective for the Capital Restorative Justice Project, assist with programs for NC Victim Assistance Network and work with NCCADP Survivor Family Engagement project. I am active in my home community, working with various groups and sit on the board for Alleghany Lives; Suicide Awareness Coalition providing educational workshops as the QPR facilitator. Most recent I signed an agreement to contract with our local health department to provide educational workshops/trainings on the subject of mental health and wellness.
I am committed to sharing and encouraging a spirit of peace, love and forgiveness in our communities in an effort to make people’s lives stronger, healthier and safer. In conclusion, I share a favorite quote I feel epitomizes what I have learned and believe about life today; "You desire to know the art of living, my friend? It is contained in one phrase: make use of suffering.” ~Henri Frederic Amiel