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