Porter Medical Center

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Grief Support Group
DATES: 8-weeks: January 14 – March 4, 2025
TIME: TUESDAYS 6-7:30pm
PLACE: ZOOM

Advanced registration. Must commit to full 8 weeks.
Group size: 8-10 participants

Facilitator: Taylor Zak, LCSW & Space Holder: Mark Ciociola
Please send referrals to: Mara Dowdall at mdowdall@portermedical.org
Hosted by Palliative Support Services at Porter Medical Center

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 23
Community Ancestor Alter set up on the front porch of Sheldon Museum
This altar is open to public and will be up until Nov 3rd
An ancestor's altar is a deeply personal and meaningful way to honor the memories of loved ones who have passed. Rooted in many cultures worldwide, these altars serve as spaces where people can connect with the past, celebrate the lives of those who came before, and offer gratitude and remembrance. At its core, an ancestor's altar is about storytelling, reflection, and the universal human experience of love and loss.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 25, 2024
11:30am-2pm Workshop: Introduction to Death Journaling with Francesca Arnoldy at the Marquis Café, 65 Main Street
Join community doula and educator, Francesca Lynn Arnoldy, for an introduction to "Death Journaling." During this interactive workshop, participants will be invited to reflect back, turn inward, and plan ahead with intention and insight, focusing first on introspection and then extending care to others. Through immersive practices and thought-provoking discussions, participants will contemplate mortality and learn supportive techniques rooted in compassion.

6:30-9pm Blackbird – movie showing followed by small group conversation at Middlebury Regional EMS, 55 Collins Drive
In this dramatic film, a family of three generations gather over a weekend to say goodbye to its matriarch, Lily, who suffers from an incurable disease. With the help of her husband Paul, Lily has chosen to pursue to hasten her death when the weekend is over. But as the end approaches, their mother's decision becomes more and more difficult to handle for her two daughters, and old conflicts resurface.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 26
1-4pm – Luminary decorating at the Ilsley Library, 75 Main Street
CREATE A LUMINARY TO HONOR SOMEONE YOU HAVE LOVED AND LOST
These luminaries—simple paper lanterns—will serve as personal canvases for participants to create memories and honor the loved ones they have lost, whether it be a friend, a parent, or even a cherished pet.
By contributing to this collective display, the community will help transform our town into a glowing tribute of remembrance, adding warmth and reflection to our community spaces, starting at St. Stephen's Church and along Main St to the Sheldon Museum. They will be lite on the evening of Saturday October 26th.

6:30-8pm - Stories from the Heart at St Stephens Episcopal Church, 3 Main Street
Join us in this Moth-style storytelling event, when five brave community members stand up to be witnessed, telling their unique story of grief and loss.

8-9pm – Luminary path walk – from St Stephens Episcopal Church and ending at the Sheldon Museum, 1 Park Street
8-9pm Sheldon Museum – harp music with Matthew Von Behrens

SUNDAY OCTOBER 27
2-4pm - Service of Remembrance for the community at CVUUS, 2 Duanne Court
Join us for candle lighting, reflective music, and readings to remember the lives of loved ones held in our hearts. This service is open to the public, please share with friends, neighbors, and family members. Drinks, snacks, and mingling to follow service.

For any additional information, please reach out to Louella Richer at lricher@portermedical.org
These events are sponsored by the Palliative Care Department at Porter Medical Center and hosted by numerous locations around Middlebury.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 23
Community Ancestor Alter set up on the front porch of Sheldon Museum
This altar is open to public and will be up until Nov 3rd
An ancestor's altar is a deeply personal and meaningful way to honor the memories of loved ones who have passed. Rooted in many cultures worldwide, these altars serve as spaces where people can connect with the past, celebrate the lives of those who came before, and offer gratitude and remembrance. At its core, an ancestor's altar is about storytelling, reflection, and the universal human experience of love and loss.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 25, 2024
11:30am-2pm Workshop: Introduction to Death Journaling with Francesca Arnoldy at the Marquis Café, 65 Main Street
Join community doula and educator, Francesca Lynn Arnoldy, for an introduction to "Death Journaling." During this interactive workshop, participants will be invited to reflect back, turn inward, and plan ahead with intention and insight, focusing first on introspection and then extending care to others. Through immersive practices and thought-provoking discussions, participants will contemplate mortality and learn supportive techniques rooted in compassion.

6:30-9pm Blackbird – movie showing followed by small group conversation at Middlebury Regional EMS, 55 Collins Drive
In this dramatic film, a family of three generations gather over a weekend to say goodbye to its matriarch, Lily, who suffers from an incurable disease. With the help of her husband Paul, Lily has chosen to pursue to hasten her death when the weekend is over. But as the end approaches, their mother's decision becomes more and more difficult to handle for her two daughters, and old conflicts resurface.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 26
1-4pm – Luminary decorating at the Ilsley Library, 75 Main Street
CREATE A LUMINARY TO HONOR SOMEONE YOU HAVE LOVED AND LOST
These luminaries—simple paper lanterns—will serve as personal canvases for participants to create memories and honor the loved ones they have lost, whether it be a friend, a parent, or even a cherished pet.
By contributing to this collective display, the community will help transform our town into a glowing tribute of remembrance, adding warmth and reflection to our community spaces, starting at St. Stephen's Church and along Main St to the Sheldon Museum. They will be lite on the evening of Saturday October 26th.

6:30-8pm - Stories from the Heart at St Stephens Episcopal Church, 3 Main Street
Join us in this Moth-style storytelling event, when five brave community members stand up to be witnessed, telling their unique story of grief and loss.

8-9pm – Luminary path walk – from St Stephens Episcopal Church and ending at the Sheldon Museum, 1 Park Street
8-9pm Sheldon Museum – harp music with Matthew Von Behrens

SUNDAY OCTOBER 27
2-4pm - Service of Remembrance for the community at CVUUS, 2 Duanne Court
Join us for candle lighting, reflective music, and readings to remember the lives of loved ones held in our hearts. This service is open to the public, please share with friends, neighbors, and family members. Drinks, snacks, and mingling to follow service.

For any additional information, please reach out to Louella Richer at lricher@portermedical.org
These events are sponsored by the Palliative Care Department at Porter Medical Center and hosted by numerous locations around Middlebury.