Live butterflies will be released at the 15th annual Hike for Hospice in Castlegar on Sunday.
The first 60 participants in the Castlegar Hospice Society fundraiser to pledge $25 or more will have the opportunity to release a live butterfly. Families are encouraged to participate.
“I have 60 butterflies coming in and I think it’s going to be beautiful to see them all being released at once,” says Suzanne Lehbauer, executive director of the society.
Pledge forms are available at castlegarhospice.org or those interested can contact Lehbauer at 250-304-1266 or suzanne.lehbauer@interiorhealth.ca.
Registration opens at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday in Kinsmen Park, and the hike is set to start at 11 a.m. following a few speeches and the release of the butterflies.
“There are two walks. One is fairly short, for those who may have some mobility issues, and the other starts at Kinsmen Park, goes all the way down to the Millennium, through the Millennium and then back up to the park again,” explains Lehbauer.
Back at the park, the Lions Club will have hot dogs and other goodies for sale.
All proceeds from the hike go back to the Castlegar Hospice Society.
“All of the money raised stays right here in the community and helps us provide essential hospice palliative services, as well as grief and bereavement support, ongoing training and educational workshops for the community,” explains Lehbauer.
The event marks the beginning of Hospice Week in Canada, and the Castlegar Hospice Society will also mark the occasion with a drop-in day on Thursday, May 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“You can drop by and see what the hospice is doing, what our new programs are, and I’ll also be able to help you get your advanced care plan started,” says Lehbauer. “So we’d like you to make the pledge to get your advanced care plan in place.”
“[An] advanced care plan is a written document of the wishes that you have at end of life, be they medical or what you would like in terms of a funeral or your family to do,” she added. “So it’s really important that anyone 18 years of age or older has one in place.”
The Castlegar Hospice Society is located at the Castlegar Health Centre (709 10th St.) on the second floor.