For the 10th straight year, the VON will host a butterfly release celebration of life.
This year’s event takes place Aug. 27 at 1 p.m. at Veterans’ Gardens on Thames Street in Chatham.
Blair Klonteig, fund developer and community relations co-ordinator for the VON in Chatham-Kent, said just over 100 monarch butterflies will be released in memory of lost loved ones.
The Rotary Club of Chatham sponsored butterflies for the VON’s Kids’ Circle, a bereavement group for children who have lost a friend or family member recently. Klonteig said about 80 children are in the local program currently.
“Thank you for supporting Kids’ Circle and the release of their butterflies,” she said of Rotary. “I think it brings hope and strength that they (the children) are not alone. The community cares.”
The butterfly release isn’t just for the children, however, as other people will release butterflies for their lost loved ones as well.
“It’s just a nice community event to remember a loved one,” Klonteig said, adding individuals and even retirement homes have purchased butterflies for Sunday.
For Klonteig, this will be her first release, as she joined the VON in April. But it will hit close to home.
“I lost my mother-in-law 10 years ago. I think the outpouring of support from the community is just amazing. You never forget your loved ones,” she said. “In this world, it seems cancer and diseases are taking over. It’s nice to see so many people remembering. It’s nice to see people coming together to grieve, but also to celebrate life.”
Klonteig encourages the public to come out and enjoy the event, supporting friends and family and even complete strangers.
