On June 21st, hundreds of Painted Lady butterflies were individually packed and distributed via curbside pick up at Red Deer Hospice as part of their Live Butterfly Campaign.  Running for its fourth year, the fundraiser offered individuals the opportunity to purchase live butterflies and release them in a location that was meaningful to them while supporting end-of-life care in Central Alberta.

“The release of butterflies is a healing experience that can comfort family and friends who have experienced a loss. But they are also considered a beautiful representation of the various stages of life,” explained Fonda Devereaux, Fund Development Manager at the Red Deer Hospice. “Supporters have ordered butterflies for a variety of reasons over the years, including many to release at celebrations such as birthdays, graduations and weddings”.

Annually, Red Deer Hospice also holds a private Memorial Butterfly Release for the loved ones of those who journeyed through Hospice in the previous year.  The event, set against the serene backdrop of Hospice Memorial Park, is a cherished tradition.  Devereaux shared “We began the public campaign because we know there are people who want to continue the tradition they may have experienced with our private Memorial Release as well as celebrate new chapters in their lives and we are honored to share it with the community”.

All butterflies released were of the Painted Lady variety.  This is a thoughtful choice as they are natural to our area and are beneficial pollinators, helping maintain our flowering plants and habitat.

This year 450 Butterflies were released into our community!

We absolutely love seeing everyone’s pictures and videos from their releases.  Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to share this experience with all of you.