Virtually every day Heidi Evens, executive director of St. Albert Sturgeon Hospice Association (SASHA), meets someone dealing with grief from the loss of a loved one.
Part of her role is to provide comfort. Since National Hospice Palliative Care Week is on Wednesday, May 7, Evans has organized a Walk to Remember.
The grief walk, a collaboration between SASHA, BLESS and St. Albert Bereavement Fellowship, provides a supportive environment with a rhythm for healing.
“A grief walk can get heavy. There is a whole range of emotions going through a person. We try to give them space, and they decide if they want to share or not,” said Evans.
Walk to Remember takes place May 7 at 6:30 p.m. Participants meet at Lions Park in the picnic area. Walkers will cross the Children’s Bridge and loop around the Sturgeon River to Perron Street before returning to Lions Park.
Many individuals dealing with grief isolate themselves. The goal is to give them an opportunity to meet, chat and gently enjoy nature with others on a similar journey.
“The one-hour walks are typically slow. We take our time. Sometimes people break into small groups as they take time to reflect,” Evans said.
The grief walks were launched as an eight-week program in July 2024. Bit by bit they gained traction and organizers booked a six-week walk in the fall. In the winter, walkers met at St. Albert Centre by London Drugs. The program started with a few participants but has since blossomed into 15 to 20 people willing to try something new.
During the planning stages, BLESS offered to provide nature guides to assist in dealing with grief. In the process, they brought valuable insights to share each week.
“BLESS has become an essential part of dealing with grief. Nature has a way of showing the life cycles, and that there is impermanence in life. And when we connect with something outside ourselves, it gives us the energy to move through what we are going through.”
Evans encourages the community to join the grief walks for multiple reasons.
“People sleep better after a grief walk. It’s physical activity and it helps with more than the emotions. You get outside breathing extra oxygen, and you will feel it with every cell of your body.”
Evans encourages everyone to dress for the weather. Grief walks take place rain or shine.
