Blessing of the Animals Celebration
Tuesday, November 15, 2011 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
This is an annual event of Synergy Animal Hospice to honor the unique relationships we share with our animal companions—both past and present—and the specialness that each animal brings into our lives and hearts.
You are welcome to choose to bring your present animal if he/she is able to be in a public setting with other animals or a photograph if that is less stressful for the either/both of you. We will also have a special time to remember animals of our past we wish to honor, so you are encouraged to bring a photograph or other memento if you so desire. You may have more than one animal you wish to receive a blessing and these may be past, present, or both.
The celebration is hosted at Partners in Care Home Health and Hospice at 2075 NE Wyatt Court. Due to space considerations, registration is appreciated by contacting Sharen at 541-382-5882 or email at sharen@synergyanimalhospice.org.
“If you have men who will exclude any of God’s creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.” St. Francis of Assisi.
Candlelight Remembrance (First Annual)
Saturday, March 5, 2011
This was our first Candlelight Remembrance
In 2011, Synergy joined the Nikki Hospice Foundation for Pets, and other animal organizations, in the annual remembrance event held world wide on March 5th at 7pm local time. Although each organization may have a different format, we all honor the connections we have with our animals and each other during this special time.
Here in Bend, we spend some time writing our wishes, prayers, or gratitude for our respective animal companion on separate sheets of paper and later in the ceremony, send these up to the heavens in a sacred fire. We have saved some of the ashes from this past ceremony and will add that to the next year's fire to symbolize and honor the connections we have throughout time and experiences.We will continue to do this every year. After some moments of silent reflection, we speak our animal companion’s name and light each other’s candle one at a time as we join in a circle around the fire. Each participant is welcome to place a photograph and/or write some words on our traveling memorial wall as well. We look forward to this shared annual event and remain open to various ways of sharing this sacred time together.