Hospice prepares for annual butterfly celebration

NEWTON-Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice will host its fifth annual Butterfly Release Celebration at the Sussex County Community College campus on Saturday, June 18 at 4 p.m., rain or shine. The event honors the family and friends who are still living, and celebrates the memory of those loved ones who have passed away. The celebration, which will incorporate music, participation from community leaders, the reading of each name being celebrated, will climax with the release of dozens of Monarch butterflies. Butterfly Release Celebration participation begins with the purchase of a butterfly for $15, in the name of a special loved one. A commemorative butterfly pin will be sent with an acknowledgement card to the designated recipient. A new butterfly pin is designed and introduced each year as a keepsake for the event. Smith-McCracken Funeral Home continues its tradition as the event sponsor. "We are very proud to support hospice and the Butterfly Celebration. Both emphasize the importance of family and friends," said Robert McCracken, owner/manager. Additional sponsorship support will be provided by Lakeland Bank, Bristol Glen, Schering Plough Research, the Woodland Group, Gallagher's Home Medical Equipment Service, Cochran Funeral Home, DeVoe Funeral Home, Ford Memorial Home and Warren Hills Memorial Home. All monies raised from the celebration will be used to fund programs of the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, which serves terminally ill patients and their families. The Butterfly Release committee includes Julia Quinlan and Jennifer Smith, from Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, Pam Milone from Smith-McCracken Funeral Home, and Laurie Grafeld from Lakeland Bank. For more information or to participate in the event, call the hospice at 973-383-0115 or visit www.KarenAnnQuinlanHospice.org.