Community Leader Organizes Series of Workshops on Settling Affairs

Deborah Barnett, Rev. Barbie Harrison of the local Area Office on Aging, Charlon Dewberry and Arthur Battle

By Tricia Hall
The Truth Reporter

Deborah Barnett, local community leader, activist and owner of N-Sync LLC, is collaborating with the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio, Inc. and Toledo Lucas County Library to present a series of community resource workshops entitled, ‘Getting Your Affairs In Order.’

The series launched on January 27 at the main library, with the first workshop, ‘Getting Your Affairs in Order Properly.’ Guests and participants received a free lunch at 12:30 p.m., followed by opening remarks delivered by Barnett.

“We all think that we have time to do this and to do that,” began Barnett. “I had a conversation with the Area Office on Aging and submitted a proposal, now we are here. I want to thank the committee because we all volunteering our time. Getting your affairs in order, means everything, not just medical.”

Rev. Barbie Harrison of the local Area Office on Aging delivered the invocation and then shared a list of ways that participants can begin that conversation with their family. A few of the suggestions and recommendations included: making sure that more than one person knows the end of life information, understand that in grief there may be conflict because of confusion and host a dinner with core family members and allow a family leader to be identified among those core member to keep the harmony.

“All families are not equal,” began Harrison. “Families are a gift from God, but each family has its own personality and opinions. There are families that may not want to communicate about end of life.

The workshop featured two attorneys, Charlon Dewberry and Arthur Battle. The two attorneys explained in further detail how to begin the process of getting your affairs in order. The program concluded with a question and answer session that gathered questions from the participants during the workshop.

“Today is about starting a conversation, learning about documents that are necessary to make your wishes known,” began Dewberry. “These documents won’t give up your control while you are living, but gives you control once you pass.”

One document that Dewberry spoke about in length was last will and testament. This document should include all property, even if the property is low in value. The document should include all relatives, even if your wishes are to leave them nothing because if an Ohio resident doesn’t have a will, the state will make the final distribution of assets.

The remaining workshops in the series are free and open to the public: