BARRY’S BAY – Two years ago, Lois Losole stood in Water Tower Park, gripping a small paper container.
Then, along with dozens of others, she opened up the envelope and out flew a beautiful monarch butterfly. It stayed with her for some time before fluttering away.
“It was really special,” she said. “It didn’t want to leave me.”
Losole was releasing her butterfly in memory of her late husband, Rocco, who passed away in the spring of that year. It was all part of the Madawaska Valley Hospice Palliative Care’s first-ever butterfly release, to help the community heal from loss.
Losole said the event was emotional and beautiful. The butterfly, Losole said, was comforting due to its gracefulness. To her, it represented love.
“I found it very consoling,” she said. “I loved the whole program.”
She enjoyed the experience so much, that on March 31, she joined five other volunteers in preparing for the second butterfly release planned for this summer.
“It was just so meaningful for me and I would like to be part of offering it to people who maybe didn’t go to the first one,” she said. “I know I am going to tell a lot of my friends about it.”
Program Director Lisa Hubers said Madawaska Valley Hospital Palliative Care (MVHPC) is hosting the event. It was skipped last year because the MVHPC was just wrapping up its Giving Wings to Hospice Program.
Get your April 6, 2016 edition of The Valley Gazette to read the full story.