Palliative Manitoba’s memory tree up and ready

St. Vital

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This article was published 04/12/2024 (308 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Visitors to St. Vital Centre in the next three weeks, many of whom are moving briskly from place to place as the holiday shopping crowds intensify, are once again being offered the opportunity to pause, remember and acknowledge a lost loved one.

Palliative Manitoba’s memory tree has returned to the centre, located at 1225 St. Mary’s Rd., for a 37th year. The massive tree is situated near The Bay, and its installation was marked with an event on Nov. 28.

The idea of the memory tree is to provide some comfort and compassion for people, as grief and feelings of loss can be magnified during the holiday season. Significantly, organizers want to help people acknowledge that grief can be a normal part of the season.

Visitors to the tree can write a message on a card and attach it to the tree, while taking a little time to reflect on the memory of someone special. The cards are free, but donations are more than welcome and gratefully received. Until noon on Dec. 24, the tree will be manned by volunteers who have training in compassionate aid and grief support.

“It’s a safe, calm, respectful place to remember, grieve, honour, and celebrate those who can’t be with us anymore,” said Lindsay Felstead, development co-ordinator at Palliative Manitoba, who noted that the tree’s volunteers are “well-suited to provide a compassionate ear to listen to individuals.”

“Our volunteers are absolutely amazing, and they have so much compassion, kindness, and empathy in their hearts.”

Felstead said visitors range from those who return year after year — “in some cases, it could be a grandmother who’s bringing her daughter, who’s bringing her kid” — to those who happen to be passing by. One thing that unites them is the understanding that everyone deals with grief in their own way, and that people may have different triggers.

“It could be just a smell, or a sound, or a sight, and it can hit you like a sledgehammer,” Felstead said. “When you visit the tree, you’ll be a able to sit, settle, maybe talk to a volunteer, and certainly acknowledge your grief. It’s important to express your grief, and the best thing you can do is let it out.”

Palliative Manitoba’s partners in the memory tree project include Winnipeg Environmental Remediations, and Power Guardian Solutions, who bought the Tree from its off‐season home at Wayne Nemy’s storage facility on King Edward Street to the shopping centre. With the help of Palliative Manitoba’s compassionate partner, Homecare Solutions for Everyone, the tree was put up in a record time of one hour and 20 minutes on Nov. 23. Desjardins Funeral Home provides the memory cards.

Those unable to get to the mall but who wish to contribute to the Memory Tree can fill out cards online until noon on Dec. 24. Online donations will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31.

Visit palliativemanitoba.ca for more information.