Tidewell Hospice and Tidewell Foundation Host Community Celebration of Life Events

May 14, 2021 – Sarasota

Tidewell Hospice and the Tidewell Foundation are hosting a series of community celebration of life events in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties. These free outdoor events will give members of the community an opportunity to gather and mourn the loss of loved ones, friends, caregivers, coworkers, pets or other important aspects of their lives. For more than a year, many people experiencing loss have done so alone due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions in place. Many have not been able to fully grieve these losses as a result, which can take a significant toll on their mental and physical health. As the community’s free grief services provider, Tidewell Hospice is well aware of this need and is hosting these celebration of life events so the community can finally come together safely to process their grief and mourn.

The community is invited to attend the following gatherings:

Sarasota County
Thursday, May 20 
6-7 p.m.
777 S. Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34236 (Behind the Van Wezel on the waterfront)

Manatee County
Thursday, June 17
6-7 p.m.
606 Third Ave. W., Bradenton, FL 34205 (Bradenton Riverwalk Amphitheater)

Charlotte County
Saturday, June 19 
10-11 a.m.
120 Laishley Court, Punta Gorda, FL 33950 (Laishley Park Pavilion)

“This has been an extremely difficult year for many members of our community who were unable to fully process significant loss,” said Jonathan Fleece, President and CEO of Tidewell Hospice and the President of Empath Health. “Through these celebration of life events, Tidewell is providing a safe place for people to gather and hopefully begin to properly mourn the loss of those dear to them.”

The hour-long ceremonies will begin with music played as guests arrive, followed by the program. Following the conclusion of each ceremony, an optional walk will be offered to provide an opportunity for those who would like to reflect in guided meditation. To protect all those attending, social distancing and mask wearing guidelines will be followed. The events will be outdoors and, in the event of rain, canceled and rescheduled for a later date.

No RSVP is required. For more information, call 941-552-7546.