Upcoming events.
Evening Grief Gathering
Evening Grief Gathering:
Exploring Ways to Connect In Nature and With Others…
Have you been impacted by the flood, the end of a relationship or the death of a loved one?
Anyone facing a loss is welcome to explore the different ways that we as a community are all Grieving Through The Seasons...
An Evening Grief Gathering is Beginning Sunday May 4th at 5:00pm.
We are gathering this first time to play a “Grief Grab Bag” activity led by grief facilitators Leigh Ann and Patrick.
Our aim is to explore the value of nurturing our grief with Nature, Gentle Movement, Music, Games and helpful ways to create meaningful social connections as we all explore ways to process grief. Leigh Ann Mertens is a yoga insructor and Patrick Davis is a massage therapist. Together, they create holistic ways for all of us to address grief in a supportive community. After our gentle and fun activity, we will explore ideal locations and times for the coming months. Together, we are exploring ways for our community to connect with nature, gentle movement and the spirit of playful social connections as we grieve.
Location This Month: Outdoors by the Waynesville Recreation Center at 550 Vance Street. Waynesville, NC 28786.
(Please go past the Rec Center down the hill and park by the little open shelter filled with picnic tables. Leigh Ann and Patrick will have name tags on to WELCOME you.)
Please contact Patrick Davis (402.933.9393) or Leigh Ann Mertens (828.606.4123) if you have any questions or needs about this new program.
This nurturing experience is in addition to the Grief Gathering held on the second Wednesday of every month from 3:30-5:00PM at the Coffee Cup Café in Clyde. A Big thank you, Haywood Hospice for opening this program up for the entire community to benefit. This new program is aimed at meeting the need of people who are not able to make the 2nd Wednesday gathering. We are also looking at ways to process grief outside the walls of our monthly “Grief Café.”
THANK YOU, HAYWOOD HEALTH FOUNDATION, for making all of these programs possible.
Other Announcements:
On May 10 at 10am there will be a free Creative Healing workshop that includes lunch.
https://www.studio3jewelry.com/creative-healing-2025/.
There will also be a visual arts Creative Healing offering later this fall.
Curious About Volunteering with Hospice?
Supporting this grief gathering or being involved with the efforts of hospice can be part of our healing process. If you are interested in volunteering with hospice, please reach out to Leigh Ann the hospice volunteer coordinator at: Leighann.mertens@lhcgroup.com Or call hospice at: 828.452.5039.
Keep Connected and Learn About Other Emerging Programs
The monthly Grief Gathering at the Coffee Cup Cafe is led by Haywood Hospice to meet the needs of the hospice bereaved and others in the community. This gathering and now other programs are all supported by funding from the Haywood Health Foundation. Local grief educators are also offering other specialized grief programs for children and adults programs.
Learn more at: www.heartfelthaywood.com.
Heartfelt Haywood’s vision for these efforts are: “To create a community where no one dies alone, no one grieves alone, and caregivers are supported and valued.”
Peter Constantian is the Executive Director of these emerging efforts. Feel free to contact him if you have any questions: peter@heartfelthaywood.org
Caregiver Writing Circle
Are you seeking companionship and social support as you navigate the decline of a partner or spouse? This bi-weekly caregiver support group is led by Dr. Cristina Francescon. Caregivers are invited to bring a journal and participate in writing exercises that provide an opportunity for reflection and sharing. Contact Cristina for the latest writing prompt and to RSVP 910-723-0397.
"Embraceable You" Creative Healing Workshop
Creative Healing Workshop
Presented by Studio3 & Haywood Hospice & Palliative Care
Studies show that art relieves anxiety, depression and stress and serves as a modality for self-understanding, personal change and emotional transformation. This is especially true for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one. The workshops we provide will provide a safe space for expression and support for healing.
All workshops are FREE and open to anyone who is searching for ways to handle grief – you are not alone.
Sherri Burch owns and operates Studio3 in Canton. She has been silversmithing for 38+ years and has taught jewelry arts for 26+ years. She is a Certified Drug & Alcohol Counselor, Qualified Mental Health Professional and Registered Yoga Teacher.
“Embraceable You” will bring caregivers together to support each other while creating a bracelet around their experience as a caregiver. They will be free to express everything from frustration to love, to letting go. Each participant will leave the class with a bracelet to wear as a reminder to embrace and love themselves as they continue their journey as a caregiver.
Grief Gathering
If you are struggling with grief, you are not alone. Haywood Hospice & Palliative Care offers free Grief Gatherings every second Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. after the Café closes, so we have a special setting with those who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Enjoy a beverage and snacks and learn ways to cope with grief and loss. Contact 828-452-5039 for more information.
Grief Gathering
If you are struggling with grief, you are not alone. Haywood Hospice & Palliative Care offers free Grief Gatherings every second Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. after the Café closes, so we have a special setting with those who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Enjoy a beverage and snacks and learn ways to cope with grief and loss. Contact 828-452-5039 for more information.
Healing Hearts Half-day Camp
A free half-day camp for children and teens ages 5 to 18 who are grieving. Parents and caregivers are invited to stay. Saturday, June 21 from 1pm to 5pm, 2025 at Encore Stables in Candler (338 Youngs Dr Ext, Candler, NC 28715).
Arts Healing Retreat
For anyone on the healing journey from grief.
Grief is not just an ending—it is also a doorway. A portal to love, transformation, and renewal. This retreat offers a sacred space for those walking the tender path of loss, providing self-kindness, creative healing, and compassionate community connection as we move through grief into love.
Healing does not happen in isolation. Our longing for joy, connection, and creative expression is a golden thread—one that mends the heart, awakens the soul, and fosters deep healing.
Through expressive art-making, poetry, gentle movement, and mindfulness, we will tap into the body’s wisdom and innate self-healing power. Rooted in both ancient traditions and modern neuroscience, these time-honored practices support emotional regulation, nervous system healing, and resilience. In a safe, supportive space—nurtured by a like-minded community—we will cultivate compassion, kindness, and inner peace together.
Come as you are. No art experience is needed—just an open heart and a willingness to explore.
Please bring your own lunch. Light snacks, herbal tea, water, and aromatherapy will be provided.
Join us in creating a sanctuary for wholeness, healing, and love.
Marga Fripp, MA in Expressive Art Therapy
Chief Pollinator of Good
co-founder, The Pollinators Foundation
Marga Fripp Studio I Online Qigong Classes, Art Therapy, Art Store
The Pollinators Foundation I Community Wellness & Social Healing
112 Virginia Ave, Waynesville, NC 28786 I p: 828-424-1398
Grief Book Circle
Are you looking to dive deeper into your grief with the support of a small group of peers? The Grief Book Circle is a small group (maximum 12 particpants) that meets weekly to discuss a book about grief and how it relates to our lived experience. Join facilitators Leigh Ann and Sandy as we explore grief, loss, hope, and healing together!
For more information, please fill out this form and a facilitator will contact you.
Heartfelt Movie Night - Departures
Join Heartfelt Haywood for a viewing of Departures: Diago answers an ad for what he thinks is a travel agency, but is actually a mortuary. The film follows his profound and sometimes comical journey with death as he uncovers the wonder, joy, and meaning of life and living. Presentation and post-film discussion led by Dr. Cristina Francescon.
Heartfelt Movie Nights are held monthly and cover a range of topics including end-of-life, grief, loss, caregiving, and compassion.
The films presented in this series are intended to spark dialogue and reflection on complex societal issues. The inclusion of a film does not constitute an endorsement by Heartfelt Haywood of any specific viewpoint presented. All films are shown in their original language with English subtitles.
Grief Book Circle
Are you looking to dive deeper into your grief with the support of a small group of peers? The Grief Book Circle is a small group (maximum 12 particpants) that meets weekly to discuss a book about grief and how it relates to our lived experience. Join facilitators Leigh Ann and Sandy as we explore grief, loss, hope, and healing together!
For more information, please fill out this form and a facilitator will contact you.
Seasons of Life, Event #5
“Pull Up a Chair! There are Some Stories to Hear”
Seasons of Life, Event #5
Thursday, April 24, 2005, 9:30 AM-Before Noon
Family Life Center, Waynesville First United Methodist Church
“You ain’t gonna’ believe this! …”
“Did I ever tell you about the time…?”
“Now that’s not how I remember it. It was like this…”
“She/He touched my life in the most powerful way. They…”
“Oh! What a day that was! It changed my life in ways…”
“That fish was this big…”
“You got a minute? Let me tell you what really happened. I was …”
Are ready for a couple hours of listening to and telling some good stories? Well, that is what is going to happen at the next Seasons of Life Event (Thursday, April 24). We will gather for some refreshments, conversations, and vendor table visits at 9:00 AM. At 9:30 AM the storytelling will begin. We will hear some traditional mountain tales- some tales from the Cherokee folk lore tradition- some jokes/yarns/puns- some inspirational and life changing events remembered- and on and on… Some story prompts will be offered, and audience participation will be encouraged. A variety of tellers and styles will be featured.
There will be a couple of short stories to be read. We will even have a surprise or two for the event. Faith, hope, and hilarity will capture the spotlight. Not all Seasons of Life events need to be “serious discussions” of “heavy subjects”. Every once in a while, we need to pause, laugh, recall/recollect, unwind in order to rewind. Here is your chance. So - gather up your funny bones and be there!
Seasons of Life Events are a collaborative ministry effort of the Waynesville FUMC and Grace in the Mountains Episcopal Church. Community partners include Southwestern Commission Area Agency on Aging, Heartfelt Haywood, and others.
Grief Book Circle
Are you looking to dive deeper into your grief with the support of a small group of peers? The Grief Book Circle is a small group (maximum 12 particpants) that meets weekly to discuss a book about grief and how it relates to our lived experience. Join facilitators Leigh Ann and Sandy as we explore grief, loss, hope, and healing together!
For more information, please fill out this form and a facilitator will contact you.
Caregiver Writing Circle
Are you seeking companionship and social support as you navigate the decline of a partner or spouse? This bi-weekly caregiver support group is led by Dr. Cristina Francescon. Caregivers are invited to bring a journal and participate in writing exercises that provide an opportunity for reflection and sharing. Contact Cristina for the latest writing prompt and to RSVP 910-723-0397.
Grief Book Circle
Are you looking to dive deeper into your grief with the support of a small group of peers? The Grief Book Circle is a small group (maximum 12 particpants) that meets weekly to discuss a book about grief and how it relates to our lived experience. Join facilitators Leigh Ann and Sandy as we explore grief, loss, hope, and healing together!
For more information, please fill out this form and a facilitator will contact you.
Grief Gathering
If you are struggling with grief, you are not alone. Haywood Hospice & Palliative Care offers free Grief Gatherings every second Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. after the Café closes, so we have a special setting with those who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Enjoy a beverage and snacks and learn ways to cope with grief and loss. Contact 828-452-5039 for more information.
Caregiver Writing Circle
Are you seeking companionship and social support as you navigate the decline of a partner or spouse? This bi-weekly caregiver support group is led by Dr. Cristina Francescon. Caregivers are invited to bring a journal and participate in writing exercises that provide an opportunity for reflection and sharing. Contact Cristina for the latest writing prompt and to RSVP 910-723-0397.
Grief Book Circle
Are you looking to dive deeper into your grief with the support of a small group of peers? The Grief Book Circle is a small group (maximum 12 particpants) that meets weekly to discuss a book about grief and how it relates to our lived experience. Join facilitators Leigh Ann and Sandy as we explore grief, loss, hope, and healing together!
For more information, please fill out this form and a facilitator will contact you.
Healing Hearts Half-day Camp for Grieving Children
A free half-day camp for children and teens ages 5 to 18 who are grieving. Parents and caregivers are invited to stay. Saturday, March 29 from 1pm to 5pm, 2025 at Encore Stables in Candler (338 Youngs Dr Ext, Candler, NC 28715).
Grief Book Circle
Are you looking to dive deeper into your grief with the support of a small group of peers? The Grief Book Circle is a small group (maximum 12 particpants) that meets weekly to discuss a book about grief and how it relates to our lived experience. Join facilitators Leigh Ann and Sandy as we explore grief, loss, hope, and healing together!
For more information, please fill out this form and a facilitator will contact you.
Caregiver Writing Circle
Are you seeking companionship and social support as you navigate the decline of a partner or spouse? This bi-weekly caregiver support group is led by Dr. Cristina Francescon. Caregivers are invited to bring a journal and participate in writing exercises that provide an opportunity for reflection and sharing. Contact Cristina for the latest writing prompt and to RSVP 910-723-0397.
Grief Book Circle
Are you looking to dive deeper into your grief with the support of a small group of peers? The Grief Book Circle is a small group (maximum 12 particpants) that meets weekly to discuss a book about grief and how it relates to our lived experience. Join facilitators Leigh Ann and Sandy as we explore grief, loss, hope, and healing together!
For more information, please fill out this form and a facilitator will contact you.
Heartfelt Movie Night - The Sea Inside
Join Heartfelt Haywood for a viewing of Mar adentro (The Sea Inside) is the true story of Spaniard Ramon Sampedro, who struggled for 30 years to legally end his life with dignity. Presentation and post-film discussion led by Dr. Cristina Francescon.
Heartfelt Movie Nights are held monthly and cover a range of topics including end-of-life, grief, loss, caregiving, and compassion.
Grief Book Circle
Are you looking to dive deeper into your grief with the support of a small group of peers? The Grief Book Circle is a small group (maximum 12 particpants) that meets weekly to discuss a book about grief and how it relates to our lived experience. Join facilitators Leigh Ann and Sandy as we explore grief, loss, hope, and healing together!
For more information, please fill out this form and a facilitator will contact you.
Grief Gathering
If you are struggling with grief, you are not alone. Haywood Hospice & Palliative Care offers free Grief Gatherings every second Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. after the Café closes, so we have a special setting with those who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Enjoy a beverage and snacks and learn ways to cope with grief and loss. Contact 828-452-5039 for more information.
Caregiver Writing Circle
Are you seeking companionship and social support as you navigate the decline of a partner or spouse? This bi-weekly caregiver support group is led by Dr. Cristina Francescon. Caregivers are invited to bring a journal and participate in writing exercises that provide an opportunity for reflection and sharing. Contact Cristina for the latest writing prompt and to RSVP 910-723-0397.
Grief Book Circle
Are you looking to dive deeper into your grief with the support of a small group of peers? The Grief Book Circle is a small group (maximum 12 particpants) that meets weekly to discuss a book about grief and how it relates to our lived experience. Join facilitators Leigh Ann and Sandy as we explore grief, loss, hope, and healing together!
For more information, please fill out this form and a facilitator will contact you.
Grief Book Circle
Are you looking to dive deeper into your grief with the support of a small group of peers? The Grief Book Circle is a small group (maximum 12 particpants) that meets weekly to discuss a book about grief and how it relates to our lived experience. Join facilitators Leigh Ann and Sandy as we explore grief, loss, hope, and healing together!
For more information, please fill out this form and a facilitator will contact you.
Grief Book Circle
Are you looking to dive deeper into your grief with the support of a small group of peers? The Grief Book Circle is a small group (maximum 12 particpants) that meets weekly to discuss a book about grief and how it relates to our lived experience. Join facilitators Leigh Ann and Sandy as we explore grief, loss, hope, and healing together!
For more information, please fill out this form and a facilitator will contact you.
Haywood End-of-Life Coalition's January Envisioning
We will gather in the afternoon on Thursday, January 25, 2024, to map the history and future of end-of-life care work in Haywood County. Your presence and your input is important to us! Please fill out and submit this form to reserve your place at the table.