Three Years… Three Looong Years

Park Memorial • April 20, 2023

This week was pretty epic in our Park Memorial world. After THREE LONG YEARS (including a pandemic you might recall)… we brought our beloved monthly Art for the Grieving Heart (AFTGH) event series back to our community.

Our President, Kirstie Smolyk opened the event by saying how the last three years feels like both the blink of an eye and a full decade all at once. 


Familiar faces from our pre-Covid events came through the door ready to give and receive long-awaited hugs, and bubbling with gratitude to ‘be back’ while newcomers came shyly through the doors, unsure what to expect, but hopeful to discover a safe space to explore their grief.


Since beginning in January 2018, Art for the Grieving Heart has called ‘The Art of Cake’ home. Once again Owner Gloria and her team opened the doors of their perfect, warm little space to our group along with delicious treats and warm beverages.


Our craft activity was a brightly coloured spring front door wreath, with the focus being ‘welcoming what is on the other side of the door of grief’. We were honoured to have one of our funeral directors, Alexandra, lend her crafting talents and instruction to our event, opening with a beautiful explanation of our ‘why’ in welcoming whatever is on the other side of the door.


As hands crafted, there was a buzz of conversation as guests connected over a shared activity and shared experiences. There was laughter… shared empathy… and a few tears.


Our facilitated grief discussion was led by Patti Walker, a local grief support expert and also a bereaved mother herself. Many guests shared their experiences and thoughts of their grief journeys as the conversation wound through a range of topics. We learned that sometimes grief and anger feel very alike… that sometimes we need to exit certain individuals from our world of grief in order to make room for those who are willing to sit in grief with us… and that sometimes going for a walk needs to rather be going for a ‘stomp’ on those heavy grief days.


Guests crafted the most beautiful wreaths, adding their own personalization through their choice of colours, decorations, and words on their attached little signs…


Oh was it good to gather again! Guests left amidst more hugs, tears, laughter, and shared empathy with and for one another. 


We are currently finalizing our dates for May and June, and warmly welcome you to consider joining us… we will take a summer hiatus for June and July and return once again in September. 


We hope you will join us.


Click here to visit our coming events page (please save that page on your favourites so you can access our updated list of grief support events). You can also click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
By Park Memorial March 25, 2025
Being named the executor for a loved one is both an honour and a significant responsibility. As you step into this role, it is understandable to feel overwhelmed by the myriad of tasks and decisions that lie ahead. While the process can be complex and time-consuming, it is essential to approach it with warmth, empathy, and unwavering professionalism.
By Park Memorial March 21, 2025
At the heart of our daily operations lies a deep-rooted pride in being a Canadian family-owned and operated business. While other funeral homes in Canada are owned by US corporations, we are proud of our Canadian heritage.
February 21, 2025
Embracing Grief, Finding Connection
By Mike Cameron November 5, 2024
What does it mean for a man to grieve “Correctly?” Better question… “Who gets to decide what “correctly” looks like for you? According to grief experts like Dr. Alan Wolfelt, there is no one-size-fits-all model of grief. All of our journeys are unique. And while I know this to be true, the reality is that most men I have spoken to feel a lot of pressure about how they are supposed to grieve.
By Park Memorial September 10, 2024
Attention Edmonton community! The Canadian Mental Health Association - Edmonton Region is pleased to announce the relaunch of its impactful Youth Suicide Grief Support Program, starting tomorrow! This vital program is designed to support youth aged 12-25 and their families/caregivers who have experienced a loss due to suicide.
By Park Memorial August 29, 2024
When a child is diagnosed with a critical illness or suffers a critical injury, their family’s life shatters into pieces. Parents and siblings are catapulted into new terminology, clinical discussions, hospitals, treatments, huge changes, and fear along with the child in care. Families who receive ongoing care for their child or children at the Stollery Children’s Hospital know this too well.
By Park Memorial August 2, 2024
Park Memorial recently added Aftercare Specialist Sarah Kucharski to our team of funeral professionals. Her role is to make the aftercare process of completing forms and applications, and closing a loved one’s estate a little easier; she walks beside each of our families to assist with these tasks after the funeral. She comes to us with almost 20 years of experience as a Licensed Preneed and Aftercare Specialist. Park Memorial is a full-service funeral home, therefore Sarah’s care is included in our professional services to each family that we care for.
By Park Memorial August 2, 2024
A will is a legal document that reflects your end-of-life wishes and values, and it can provide peace of mind and clarity for yourself and your loved ones. Having a will is important because it allows you to decide who will be charged with managing your estate (your executor), such as overseeing your liabilities, who may take care of minor children and who will inherit your assets.
By Park Memorial May 17, 2024
As the sun sets on our incredible event last Friday, we find ourselves reflecting on the profound journey of self-discovery and empowerment that was The Strength Within: Balancing Life, Loss & Chaos. Over the course of the day, we witnessed remarkable transformations, forged deep connections, and witnessed the extraordinary power of resilience in action.
By Park Memorial March 29, 2024
Aspen Service Dogs is dedicated to training and providing service dogs to individuals facing various challenges, including those coping with PTSD, autism, and more. With a mission rooted in compassion and empathy, Aspen Service Dogs aims to enhance the quality of life for their clients by offering the invaluable support and companionship of a professionally trained service dog.
Show More
Renovations in progress at Park Memorial Edmonton - Click here to learn more.
×
Share by: