Grieving can be a difficult, exhausting and lonely process. Even the most well-meaning people have a hard time understanding what those grieving go through as they process their loss. On August 29, Mt. Hood Hospice will host “Time of Remembering,” a community event at Meinig Memorial Park in Sandy to remember the deceased and support those left behind. People are invited to grieve with others who are going through similar pain.
Together, participants will walk through the towering Douglas firs of Meinig Park. The park’s walking paths will be lined with lights and portraits of deceased loved ones will hang from the trees. During the event, 200 portraits submitted by grieving families will be remembered.
“We are building a grief-competent community in which people can network and support each other during major life changes,” said the head of the grief support service, Laura Lirette, in a press release.
As participants parade through the grounds, Kate Seat and Heather Michet of the Portland Threshold Singers will entertain the crowd with live acapella and acoustic music. The Sandy post of the Veterans of Foreign War will provide music by playing “Taps” once an hour during the event. “Taps” has been used at military funerals and memorial services in the past and will be played by the VFW’s Missing Man table, an area where prisoners of war and missing soldiers are honored. The Sandy Public Library will have a selection of books on the topic of grief available to borrow in the park.
And for those who prefer to express their feelings artistically, Avamere, an assisted living company, provides materials for painting headstones.
Over 1,500 people attended Time of Remembering last year. The Time of Remembering event is organized entirely by volunteers, and Mt. Hood Hospice staff are passionate about illuminating healthy ways of grieving. This effort extends beyond the Time of Remembering event, as Mt. Hood Hospice offers free support groups to further raise awareness of the disease.
“Our goal is to raise awareness that there is community support for people caring for the terminally ill or returning to work after a death,” Lirette said. “Both can be a very isolating and lonely experience. Only through community collaboration can people know that support is available and accessible.”
WATCH IT: Time of Remembering, Meinig Memorial Park, 17670 Meinig Ave, Sandy, Ore., mthoodhospice.com. 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Monday, August 29. Admission free.
