Community Corner
Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester Celebrates Life with Third Annual Memorial Butterfly Release
Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester (HPCW) recently hosted its third annual Celebration of Life Memorial Butterfly Release at Rye Nature Center.
More than 250 families, friends, and community members gathered for two remembrance events during which Monarch butterflies were released. Executive Director, Mary K. Spengler, MS, welcomed guests at the start of each program. HPCW staff and volunteers offered readings relating to loss and bereavement as well as information about the journey of the Monarch butterfly. Music Therapist Eleanor Dennis and Music Practitioner David Devine provided musical interludes, lending to a soothing atmosphere. Throughout the event, children were invited to participate in crafts and activities relating to the Monarch butterfly.
After the welcome, readings, and music, the guests were invited to gather on the lawn outside where the names of those being remembered were read aloud. Guests then released the butterflies in their memory, marveling as the beautiful creatures took flight. Kitty Sullivan O’Shea provided lovely harp music during the release period. Some of the butterflies immediately soared off into in the sky while others flitted among the plants and trees, often stopping to alight on the guests before flying away. “We wanted to provide our families with a meaningful opportunity to remember and acknowledge their loved ones with a beautiful tribute,” said Mary K. Spengler, MS, Executive Director, HPCW.
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"Many of our butterfly release participants renewed connections with staff who served their loved ones or provided bereavement support," said Bruce Page, M.A.T., M.Div., Bereavement Coordinator, HCPW. “HPCW offers loss-specific support groups and workshops on bereavement throughout the year. Hospice is a process,” Page added, “and our care supports the patient and their family on that journey.”
The event was made possible by the generosity of The Edward M. Simas Fund.
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Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester is located at 311 North Street, Suite 204, White Plains, NY 10605. For additional information, visit www.hospiceofwestchester.com or call 914.682.1484. For the latest news and updates, find HPCW on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Hospice-Palliative-Care-of-Westchester/180204428699281.
About Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester: Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester is a private, not-for-profit healthcare agency that provides skilled, compassionate and comprehensive end-of-life home care to patients with any diagnosis and gives support to their families and loved ones.
