|
|
Candlelighters Families
Newsletter
May/June 2021
|
|
Dear Candlelighters Families,
Thank you all who joined for our Spring activities. Statewide we participated in a rock painting session over zoom and card exchange. Mid-Willamette Valley chapter hosted a scavenger hunt (above) and families in Southern Oregon decorated Gnome garden kits! Your creativity shined, and while we still had to remain socially distant, we hope you had fun. We want to start transitioning into more in-person programming, so please read below on our summer plans!
With much love,
Your Candlelighters Family
|
|
> Embracing Community this Summer
|
|
Summer is around the corner, and we have some exciting news:
We will start hosting more in-person activities in August.
Details are still pending as we finalize plans, but please stay tuned! We have some fun-filled activities planned and opportunities to meet other Candlelighters families.
Our virtual Camp Outside the Box will take place again this summer.
What is Camp Outside the Box? A quest to complete a list of challenges which you will capture through photos or videos (and share with your fellow Candlelighters families through an interactive app!).We had a blast playing Camp Outside the Box last summer, and we are excited to offer it again this August! More details and sign-up forms are coming soon.
|
|
Would you like to help design the T-shirts for our summer events?
All Candlelighters families who participate in any of these summer activities will get a shirt.
Guidelines for designing the T-shirt:
-
Our theme is embracing community. Design an image or symbol that represents this theme.
- Design big, bold graphics that work in black and white or greyscale.
- Do not include a lot of detail. Fine print is difficult to print on T-shirts. The simpler the design, the better.
- We’ll include the Candlelighters logo, so don’t’ worry about that.
- All Candlelighters family members can submit.
We’ll vote on the designs through a Facebook poll afterward.
The winner receives a $25 Amazon gift card or Pizza gift card AND the fame associated with designing the T-shirt!
|
|
Bereaved families, we invite you to a summer gathering to honor your children, Picnic on the Farm, hosted in collaboration with Embrace Compassion. We will gather to have food, create art, and most importantly, honor our children together. Please join us for:
|
Picnic on the Farm
Saturday, July 10th
10 am- 1 pm
Pearl Street Urban Farm
Sherwood, OR
Space may be limited. If you want to attend, please RSVP by May 28th to stay updated on the details for Picnic on the Farm. If you already filled out the form, we have secured your spot and will be hearing from us soon.
|
If you can't attend Picnic on the Farm, but you want to connect with other bereaved families, join our Bereaved Families Facebook Group, and follow us on social media for future news and events.
|
|
> Virtual Bedtime Stories
|
|
|
|
If you missed our last virtual bedtime stories, don't worry, we have an encore!
All Candlelighters children are formally invited to join us via Zoom for a Bedtime Story, read by Mrs. Oregon American (appearing as the Ice Queen).
Thursday, June 3rd, at 7 p.m.
Zoom
We will announce the story, and provide the zoom link a few days before the event!
|
|
As we ease back into in-person activities, we will be sharing more chapter events. Each chapter has a Facebook page so you will be in the know. In the meantime, Don't hesitate to get in touch with your Candlelighters Chapter Lead if you want to get more involved or have questions about your community. They would love to hear from you. |
|
Mid-Willamette Valley Co-Chairs
541.517.9315
|
|
Southern Oregon Chair
|
|
|
|
|
We are the Luminaries, a group of individuals aged 13-21 who understand what it’s like to have cancer. Whether you have been diagnosed, or are a sibling of someone who is diagnosed, we welcome you to our group! You will get access to our Discord chat and link to our weekly Zoom games. Email Lisa to join.
|
|
|
|
Family game nights hosted by the Luminaries are fun for all ages, and going strong every 4th Thursday of the month.
Next game Night:
May 27
5:00 PM
Hope you can join!
|
|
> Parent/Caregiver Support Group - Monthly Online Meet Ups
|
|
|
|
Are you a parent or caregiver looking to connect with other parents? We host monthly parent/caregiver support groups where you have the opportunity to meet other parents who understand the cancer experience. Join us for our support group, facilitated by Dr. Marianne Kabour. |
|
Embrace Compassion is hosting programming at Pearl Street Urban Farm in Sherwood, OR. Families through all walks of the cancer journey are encouraged to join: families in treatment, beyond treatment, and in bereavement.
Brighter Box Farm Experience
Pearl Street Urban Farm offers planned monthly visits for kids (aged 1-18) in active treatment and their families to feed the animals, harvest chicken eggs, seasonal vegetables, and fruits. Kids will leave with a take-home Brighter Box connected to what they are harvesting, with reading materials, stickers, a small gift for the family, and a recipe with the ingredients to making something from the farm.
|
|
Volunteer Farmhands
Families beyond treatment or in bereavement are welcome to come volunteer and learn from urban farmers and mentors. Working together on garden tasks, our farmhands will engage in conversation, laughter, and learning. Most of the time, each family will be on-site at one time, maintaining familial pods.
|
|
> Candlelighters Facebook Groups
|
|
Do you have any questions or suggestions that could benefit other parents? Or any tips and tricks about navigating the hospital system? We welcome you to share your wealth of information there.
|
|
Meeting and getting to know other families experiencing grief offers strength and courage as well as community knowing they’re not alone.
|
|
|
Candlelighters Family Connections
Family Activities are always FREE for Candlelighters families, and you are always welcome to join other Chapter activities as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
