Written by Toni Lavigne-Conway | Special to the Valley Gazette
A unique workshop was recently offered by Madawaska Valley Hospice Palliative Care (MVHPC) to help with the healing process associated with grief.
Held over a three-week period, participants were invited to bring in cherished clothing items from their loved one and transform them into a Memory Pillow intended to hold special meaning and comfort for years to come.
The initiative was part of the MVHPC’s Grief and Bereavement program to help families and friends of those who have died.
“We are always looking for new ideas for our Bereavement program” said Jenna Stamplicoski, Coordinator of Volunteer and Bereavement Services at MVHPC, who recalls seeing the idea at the Ontario Hospice Conference she attended this year and thought it might be a good fit for the area.
She also saw this as an opportunity to involve community partners in the organization’s work. “I immediately thought about Quilter’s Curve and the expertise they have to make something like this happen.” When she reached out to owners and talented sewers Cathy Drevniok and Lisa Strack, both were pleased to volunteer their skills and time to run the workshop.
Ms. Drevniok explained that she was motivated to help because of the healing she hoped it would give participants. “We have done lots of memory quilts with people before, me included, and I remember how healing it was for me.”
Ms. Strack felt that making memories items like the pillows “are huge for people when it’s the right time and they are ready to do something like this. I also liked the idea that we would be teaching skills to people along the way. That’s really what we do at the store everyday.”
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