As the holiday season nears and the year draws to a close, locals are invited to honour and pay respects to loved ones who have passed away.
Cherished Memories Funeral Services, Elk Valley Hospital and Elk Valley & Area Hospice are hosting a Candlelit Walk and Ceremony on Nov. 21 in memory of those who have died, offering the public a chance to celebrate their lives and support those who are grieving.
A walk will depart at 6 p.m. from Elk Valley Hospital to Cherished Memories Funeral home on 4 Ave. At the funeral chapel, there will be a ceremony with heartfelt words and music, and a slideshow with pictures of locals who have passed away. Candles will be lit in memory of the deceased.
Afterwards, there will be a gathering with home-baked cookies and coffee.
Elk Valley & Area Hospice coordinator Jade Elford said the event was organized to offer much needed support in light of the recent wave of deaths that have touched the community, with quite a few notable people having passed away in the last year.
"This has been something that's really important to provide to have the opportunity for the community to come together. Especially after the year our community has had. It has been a hard year for the Elk Valley community, with the loss of a lot of incredibly beautiful people. People who really held up our community," she said.
But Elford added that this event isn't just in memory of those who made a big impact in the community. It's for those who've experienced losses at any time in their life, including pets.
The candlelit walk and ceremony was inspired by the Hike for Hospice in May, which Elford helped organize to draw attention to the importance of hospice services, and raise money for end-of-life care and grief support. While she was initially uncertain whether the event would spark interest, it was well-attended and raised $5,985.
"People want space to come together to have the time to talk to other people about the losses and the grief they've experienced and to support each other. It gave me a lot of drive to reach out [to Cherished Memories] and connect to make this happen," she said.
The event was planned during the lead-up to Christmas, in order to provide support to people who are grieving during the holidays.
"Christmas is a tough time for people who are grieving," said apprentice funeral director Wendy Lyn. "You see people around you who are cheery and celebrating and you don't feel like doing that."
"It also brings awareness to everybody else, to phone that person that has lost a loved one, ask them if they'd like to go out for a coffee and share a memory. Just remember them and support each other," Lyn added.
Attendees will have the option of joining in on the walk, or going straight to the chapel if they're not up for the journey.
Pictures for the slideshow will be accepted until Nov. 20. To submit, e-mail cherishedfernie@gmail.com
