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On Saturday, April 11, a local kindergarten class from Old King’s Elementary School released butterflies at the Stuart F. Meyer Hospice House’s butterfly garden. The students from Linda Cody’s kindergarten class have grown the butterflies from cocoons.
“Linda Cody’s father was a patient at the Stuart F. Meyer Hospice House,” said Rachel Sheffield, President of the School Advisory Council (SAC) at Old Kings Elementary. “Linda and her father would sit in this very butterfly garden together. That’s actually where she got the idea for the students to release the butterflies here at the hospice house.”
While raising the caterpillars through the metamorphosis phases and into butterflies, the students learned about the cycle of life.
“Going home to be with the Lord is part of the life cycle too,” Sheffield said. “And I can’t think of a better organization to partner with on this project than Florida Hospital HospiceCare.”
Kim Adrian, the new PTO president for Old Kings Elementary school, serves on the Florida Hospital HospiceCare advisory board and helped coordinate this event with the school and HospiceCare.
“This was such a great event for the kids,” Adrian said. “I hope the kindergarten classes continue this project for years to come.”
“Butterflies are the national symbol of hospice and bring people a sense of peace, hope and happiness,” said Cathy Cotes, Florida Hospital HospiceCare Community Liaison. “We are so thrilled to have the students here today and invite the children and their families to feel free to visit our butterfly garden at any time.”
The butterfly garden at the Stuart F. Meyer Hospice House was dedicated in loving memory of Stuart’s granddaughter, Kelly, on October 20, 2008.
About Florida Hospital HospiceCare
Florida Hospital HospiceCare, a division of Florida Hospital Flagler and Adventist Health System, is the area’s only faith based, not-for-profit hospice organization certified by The Joint Commission. Florida Hospital HospiceCare has provided a “special kind of care” to the residents of Volusia and Flagler Counties facing life-limiting illnesses and injuries since 1996. With an interdisciplinary team of hospice-trained specialists, Florida Hospital HospiceCare provides services to those in need, whether the patient is in their own homes, or in one of the Florida Hospital HospiceCare inpatients units designed for acute care. To learn more about Florida Hospital HospiceCare, please visit http://www.fhhospicecare.org