Nonprofit project seeks to turn grief into a gift through service
Nov 11, 2024, 6:00 PM
SRVIVRS co-founder Joshua Nehring will run over 17,000 miles across the contiguous United States. (SRVIVRS)
(SRVIVRS)
SALT LAKE CITY — A former Utah resident is running to 48 U.S. capitol buildings, including Utah’s, as part of a campaign to help others transform their grief into a gift through acts of service.
The over 17,000-mile run is part of the SRVIVRS nonprofit’s Black Pearl Project.
Joshua Nehring and his wife Stacy started the nonprofit seven years ago after losing their teenage daughter, Lilli.
Nehring said since the death of his daughter, he made it his life’s mission to “move in memory” of someone.
“After her loss, we felt compelled to serve in her honor. So we started doing that in a number of different ways in our community in Rapid City, South Dakota. And it transformed our life.”
How does the Black Pearl Project work?
Nehring said their campaign is about helping others transform their grief into a gift through service.
“[We are] hoping to be able to find individuals, families, communities, that are struggling with grief after the death of [a] loved one or loved ones. And we hope to be able to help give them a model where they can transform that grief into a gift through service.”
The project’s name comes from the way black pearls are formed.
“Similar to a black pearl, it has a very specific cause or irritant that gets into the shell,” Nehring said, comparing death to an irritant of an oyster. “But layer after layer, service after service, you have an individualized and personalized and customized pearl.”
Nehring plans to run to each capitol in the contiguous U.S. over the course of about a year. He started in June.
While he runs, his family will follow in an RV, stopping to serve communities along the way.
People can submit names for Nehring to “move in memory” of their loved ones on the SRVIVRS website.
Nehring said he asks people to submit names of people they want to honor so he can remember them while he runs.
“At least once a week I’ve experienced a really neat connection with them. And I feel strengthened at times, I feel ideas come to my mind, I feel thoughts come to my mind that I will then reach out and share with their family members.”
Nehring, who grew up in Utah, will be arriving at the state’s capitol on Thursday.
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