In the midst of grief, moments of joy matter. In September, Children’s Grief Centre families and friends gathered in our Dibb Family Garden for our annual Fall Picnic. It was a beautiful evening filled with sunshine, laughter, and plenty of fun!
Polaroid from the photobooth
Kids played games, made new friends, got their faces painted, visited the photobooth, and enjoyed a fall-themed caramel apple bar with lots of toppings. We are grateful to Spolumbo’s for their generous donation of delicious sausages to nourish our families.
We saw kids being kids. We saw families laughing together. We saw parents and caregivers relaxing and connecting. We saw colourful faces, sticky fingers, and big smiles. Most of all, we saw our community come together.
“Thank you for hosting events like these. They are very special for our family. Its hard to describe the relief for our family to come to these events and know that every other family gets it. Their family is changed too. Before coming to the CGC, my kids didn’t know any other kid who had experienced such a life-changing death. To come here and feel understood is irreplaceable. We can’t wait for the next one!”
We were delighted our picnic landed on the same evening as the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節), a traditional Chinese festival usually celebrated in September or October. It’s a time for family, connection, and appreciating the full moon. For many, the festival is connected to grief as the full moon is a reminder of loved ones who are far away or who have died. Even when we can’t be together, we are still looking at the same moon, which can make us feel connected to them. We incorporated a traditional part of the festival by serving mooncakes – a round, sweet treat that represents the moon, completeness and togetherness that families often share with one another.
Thank you to every family and friend who joined us for the picnic, and to our incredible donors, volunteers, and community partners who helped make this joy possible.
