Calvert Hospice recently held its Second Butterfly Release Memorial at Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center in Solomons. Nearly 130 attendees gathered to celebrate and honor their loved ones.
“We must be willing to acknowledge the loss and the pain in order to be able to celebrate a life. Then we can experience the gratitude that comes from having them in our lives and find that helpful feeling to move forward,” said Calvert Hospice Executive Director Brenda Laughhunn in welcoming remarks.
The event also offered opportunities for attendees to participate in several symbolic reflections, engage in a themed activity in Annmarie Sculpture Gardens’ artLAB, enjoy therapeutic music and listen to uplifting messages provided by Linzy Laughhunn, bereavement coordinator for Calvert Hospice.
“We all want our lives to matter and mean something, and we all long to be remembered. That’s what this memorial is about,” Linzy said. “I believe it’s a sign of a very healthy and hopeful community to gather in such numbers and honor those lives that have helped shaped ours.”
In addition to the more than 100 monarch butterflies released by families and friends in honor of their loved ones, Calvert Hospice also released butterflies to express their gratitude to the individual donors who have given $500 or more over the past year, “to help us deliver on the promise of hospice,” said Brenda Laughhunn. “We added these ‘thank-you’ butterflies because this is our 30th year of providing service care in Calvert County and we rely on the goodness of our community to help this very special kind of care we call hospice to continue to be accessible by any person in our county who needs it.”
Calvert Hospice is also grateful for Corporate Sponsorships provided by Beretta and SMECO as well event sponsorships provided by Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center and Lee Funeral Homes.
“Proceeds will go to help us continue our vital Children and Teen Bereavement Programs,” stated Amy Szatanek, Patient and Family Service director. “This includes our annual Camp Phoenix and grief support group known as Bridges.”
For more information about Calvert Hospice and/or our bereavement programs visit www.calverthospice.org, email information@calverthospice.org or call 410-535-0892.
