At Rathbun Insurance, our mission, Being There Matters Most extends far beyond the policies we write. It lives in how we show up for our clients, our neighbors, and our community, especially in moments that are difficult, quiet, and often unseen.
Recently, our team had the privilege of attending the Healing Hearts Fundraising Breakfast hosted by Ele's Place Capital Region. Representing Rathbun Insurance were CEO Ben Rathbun, Commercial Account Executive Cheryl Grimes, and Account Manager and Bond Specialist Denise Ordiway.
For Ben and Denise, this event holds a particularly meaningful connection. Both have spent years volunteering as program facilitators at Ele’s Place, dedicating one evening each week to support children who are navigating the complex journey of grief. Their involvement reflects a deep, personal commitment to helping children feel seen, heard, and supported during some of the most challenging times in their lives.
Ele’s Place itself was founded in 1991 by a group of mental health professionals, compassionate community volunteers, and grieving parents, Betsy and Woody Stover. After the death of their daughter, Helen Louise Snow Stover—known as Ele—at just 11 months old, the Stovers recognized that their young children were grieving differently than adults. Through research and connection with other grief centers across the country, they discovered that peer support was one of the most effective ways to help children process loss.
From those humble beginnings in a church basement, Ele’s Place has grown into a vital resource for communities across Michigan. More than 30 years later, the organization continues to expand its reach, serving grieving children, teens, and families while staying rooted in its mission: ensuring no child has to navigate grief alone.
This year, Ben was honored to take the stage as a speaker at the breakfast, helping to raise awareness and critical funding for an organization that has meant so much to both him and Rathbun Insurance over the years.
In his remarks, Ben spoke to a powerful truth about grief—one that resonates with anyone who has experienced loss:
Grief doesn’t happen just once.
It shows up in everyday moments—at bedtime, during holidays, on the first day of school, and even on random Tuesdays.
Because of that, support cannot be occasional. It must be steady. His message was simple, yet deeply impactful: While we cannot take away a child’s grief, we can make sure they don’t face it alone.
That belief is something we carry with us every day at Rathbun Insurance.
We are incredibly proud of Ben, Denise, and Cheryl for representing our agency and for the time, care, and compassion they continue to give to Ele’s Place and the families it serves. Their work is a reminder that community impact is not always loud or visible, it is often found in consistent, quiet acts of service.
For many years, Rathbun Insurance has supported Ele’s Place, and we remain committed to standing alongside organizations that are doing meaningful, life-changing work in our community.
Because in the end, whether it’s for our clients or our neighbors…
Being there truly matters most.