Community invited to memorial butterfly release ceremony May 23 at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital

HSHS Hospice Illinois invites community members to join them for a butterfly release ceremony at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23, in the garden between the hospital and the medical building.

Valerie Engelbart, bereavement services supervisor for HSHS Hospice Illinois, shared, “The butterfly represents the transformation of the spirit as our loved ones transition from this life. We look forward to sharing in this special time with the families in our communities.”

Family and friends are invited to celebrate and remember the life of a loved one who has passed.  The ceremony will include a butterfly release and the reading of the names of those being honored.

To participate in the ceremony, RSVP to Valerie Engelbart, bereavement services supervisor, at (217) 685-0702 or email valerie.engelbart@hshs.org.

Butterflies will be released for all of those honored, but you are invited to personally release a butterfly for your loved one by reserving a butterfly for $15 to be paid prior to the ceremony.

You may also reserve a butterfly online by visiting giving.hshs.org/sae/donate and paying by credit or debit card. In the online form, select “Butterfly Release/Hospice Program” under the Designation section and select “This gift is in honor, memory, or support of someone” under the Tribute Gift section and fill in the name of your loved one.

For more information about HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, visit steliz.org.