By By Vida Mikalcius
When my dad died, I spent hours on Pinterest trying to figure out how to DIY something out of his old clothes. Not having a sewing machine, or being especially crafty in that aspect, those projects kind of fell through the cracks.
And even though it’s been roughly seven years since he’s passed, I’d still love to be able to hug something like what Capital Caring is calling on their crafty volunteers to do, which is to MAKE MEMORY BEARS/MEMORY PILLOWS for hospice patients and grieving family members.
These items are made from the clothing of a family member’s loved one. For a grieving person to hug a bear or pillow made from a shirt or pajamas of a loved one is deeply healing. Some bears may wear special pins, earrings, or other items that were meaningful to the loved one who passed. These bears are made to honor the departed family member and bring solace to those experiencing grief. These bears help facilitate the grieving process.
Capital Caring Health provides end of life care to all ages — from pediatrics to geriatrics— never turning anyone away based on the ability to pay. By joining the CARE BEAR VOLUNTEER TEAM you can help honor a family member and keep memories alive for years to come. Capital Caring Health will provide volunteers with the materials, pattern, and support to help make Memory Bears/Memory pillows come to life.
Please contact RSVP Volunteer Specialist, Shannon White, at swhite@volunteerfairfax.org if you are interested in crafting your way into honoring a dearly departed one’s life.
