Making Village Whole: Nelson

Part of the Canada wide Griefwalking Tour.

Stephen Jenkinson is an example of what can happen in striving to make village whole. He has sat at scores of death beds, counselled caregivers and trained professionals in the care of grief and dying. His meditations are revolutionizing the way dying and death are understood and done in North America. He has Master’s Degrees from Harvard University (Theological Studies) and the University of Toronto (Social Work).  Formerly the Director of a Children’s Grief and Palliative Care Centre in Toronto, Canada, and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Family and Community Medicine, he is now a palliative care teacher and activist. He has been the guest of radio programs and television documentaries across the continent on spirituality, palliative care and wilderness creativity. He is craftsman, storyteller, musician, traditional hide tanner, sculptor, and traditional canoe builder.  His house won a Governor General’s Award for Architecture.  He is the author of Money and The Soul’s Desires and contributing author in Palliative Care - Core Skills and Clinical Competencies.

Friday, Nov 20, 7:00PM, LV Rogers Auditorium. $10, $5 students/elders.  The Stone Soup Gala: Making Something Out of loss. 

All of us are carrying a little grief lately.  Added to the normal weight of living and dying, our grassroots organizations have been shocked to learn their direct funding has been taken away form them.  Stephen Jenkinson is combining a screening of the NFB film Griefwalker with local wisdom, music, dance, and stories to inspire our lives and strengthen our community.  The gathering will also collect donations of time and/or money to the charity of your choice that will be dispersed by Carmichael, Toews, Irving Inc.; Certified General Accountants.  Please bring what sucks about your life and what is great about your life.  Together we will borrow the idea of a Stone Soup to create something out of nothing.  Re-fuel the passion Kootenaites feel for being here alive. www.nfb.ca/film/griefwalker-trailer.

Saturday, Nov 21, 10:30AM, Self Design High Commons. - $49.00 and a pledge to the cause of your choice of 8 hours. $95.00 without pledge.

Making Village Whole: Caring for the Living and Carrying the Dead.  How we die. How we care for dying people. Who our dead are to us. These are what make us human. Taboo in polite conversation, Death & Dying can create beauty and meaning.  It is where we can plant our feet in the world and live. Dying is village making. We will learn about life’s need of us and about gratitude.  Come and make a home for what we long after – a home so strong that all of us can show up!