Latrobe Community To Mark Children's Grief Awareness Day With Assistance from Health System Bereavement Specialists

LATROBE, PA, October 17, 2024 … The Hartman-Graziano Funeral Home Inc., Excela Health Home Care & Hospice, part of the Independence Health System, and Innersight LLC, have partnered once again to raise awareness on Children’s Grief Awareness Day and offer a free art activity to support grieving children within the community. This year, the nationally recognized day falls on Thursday, November 21, 2024.

The purpose of Children’s Grief Awareness Day is to call attention to the prevalence of children’s grief and of the needs of those children around us who have had someone close to them die. Through this attention, it is our hope that a greater level of understanding can be gained by all about how they can support someone who has suffered such a loss. “Adults often worry about how to talk to children about grief and loss; we hope to provide not only information – but also assurance, encouragement and support to families as they journey through their grief,” said Maureen Ceidro, Bereavement Counselor for Excela Health Home Care & Hospice.

The free art activity for the children will start at 5:30 p.m. in the Latrobe Art Center and reservations are required. This year the class instructors will work with the children to create remembrance snow globes. “Just like snowflakes on a wintry night, we will explore the unique experience of grief through the process of self- expression and gentle self care with this year's art project,” said Kristy Walter, a board-certified art therapist (ATR-BC) and a licensed practicing counselor (LPC) with Innersight LLC.

In addition to the free art activity that evening, the 2024 event will include certified therapy dogs, take-home art kits, and teddy bears made with love by local volunteers. Grief books and art supplies for children have been generously donated by the Jamie Cordial Hall Foundation.

The organizations also hope to spread awareness that day by showcasing the community made Wall of Hope, and by having the Fred Rogers Scholars assist them in decorating Fred Rogers Parks in honor of children’s grief. “The “Wall of Hope” Butterfly Garden, a project started in 2022, is a 10-foot-tall community art piece filled with hundreds of messages of support and hope written on blue paper butterflies. This will once again be displayed inside the entrance of the funeral home the entire month of November leading up to it being displayed at the Art Center for the children during the group art activity,” said Maria-Graziano Bickerstaff, funeral director at Hartman-Graziano Funeral Home, Inc.

Seating is limited for this event and reservations are required. An adult must accompany the child at the Art Center that evening and must register the child for the art activity by calling the Hartman-Graziano Funeral Home Inc. at 724-537-5575. RSVPs must be made by November 12.