The Garden to Host Workshops on Loss, Garden Party Fund-raiser

NORTHAMPTON — The Garden: A Center for Grieving Children and Teens will host two workshops in May and a fund-raiser in June.

A free workshop, “Grieving the Death of a Child,” will be held on Saturday, May 14 from 12:30 to 4 p.m. The workshop is open to adult parents and caregivers who have experienced the death of a child. It is appropriate for adults only and is open to the public.

The workshop will include a screening of the video “Helping Parents Grieve: Finding New Life After the Death of a Child,” which was produced by Paraclete Press and features real stories about families who have lost a child. The video has five parts, including knowing you are not alone, loss of hopes and dreams, death of a baby, families, and honoring and remembering. Following each section there will be a break for discussion and an activity. Parents and caregivers who have experienced the death of a child are welcome, and there are no limits on how, where, or when the child died.

A second free workshop, “Feeling Grief in our Bodies,” will take place Saturday, May 21, from 2 to 4 pm. This event is appropriate for families with young people ages 5-18 years old who are grieving the death of someone close. The workshop will be co-facilitated by Bonnie Diamond, licensed acupuncturist, and Gena Rotas, licensed independent clinical social worker. Participants — youth and adults — will explore where in their body grief is felt. Family activities will encourage discussion. Strategies for taking care of oneself will be offered.

Both workshops will be held at Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice, 168 Industrial Dr., Northampton. Advanced registration is required. For more information, contact Shelly Bathe Lenn, coordinator at the Garden, at (413) 582-5312 or shelly_lenn@cooley-dickinson.org.

Finally, a Garden Party to benefit the Garden will be held on Sunday, June 5 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Guests will enjoy live music, appetizers, and drinks. Representatives from the Western Mass. Master Gardeners Assoc. will speak about the significance and meaning of herbs and flowers. There will also be a silent auction of artist-designed watering cans. The cost is $35 per person, and all funds raised will change the life of a grieving child. For more information, contact Shelly Bathe Lenn, coordinator at the Garden, at (413) 582-5312 or shelly_lenn@cooley-dickinson.org.