Please join us on Thursday, May 11th at 6:00 pm at the Wings of Hope memorial site in Calvary Cemetery - Mankato - for an Evening of Remembrance. Pastor Michael Omtvedt from Hosanna Lutheran Church in Mankato will lead the service. The memorial service is ecumenical – it will include a burial service for families who have recently lost a child in miscarriage, music, prayers, special readings, reflection, and an opportunity for all who have experienced pregnancy loss or newborn death to recognize the lives of their children. As we did in our first Evening of Remembrance, we will invite all families who have been touched by pregnancy loss and newborn death to place a flower at the burial urn (we will provide flowers, but you may also bring your own if you would like). Not all families who lose children in pregnancy have remains to bury, or perhaps you have buried your child elsewhere, but we want to make sure you know that you are invited - this service is for you, too. So whether your loss was recent or decades ago, please know that this memorial and this place is for you. Musicians for the service will be vocalist Amy Kuch and guitarist Pam Schultze. We will have limited seating available at the site. You are free to bring your own lawn chairs or stand for the service (we anticipate approximately 30-45 minutes). Following the service we invite you to join us for light refreshments at the site.
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As we get ready for another Evening of Remembrance and a second Design & Wine fundraiser, we want to take this time to thank everyone for the continued support of Wings of Hope. We have come so far since those painted outlines on the grass and dreams on the dry erase board in our committee meeting. We still have much to do - and more goals to reach. This includes approximately $3000 to finish paying for the memorial, the annual costs for engraved markers with the month and year of the common burial (with one marker between two burial plots), monthly expenses for printing brochures and other materials, expenses associated with each Evening of Remembrance, candlelight vigil, and other events, and goals and projects to further the mission of Wings of Hope. These include things like donations of Cuddle Cots to the local hospitals - so families can have as much time saying hello to their little ones before they have to say a final good-bye. How can you help Wings of Hope? There are several ways you can help us meet our needs and reach our goals.
Thanks to the generosity of a volunteer we now have a limited stock of Rainbow Baby Gear available for order! For those of you who want a way to celebrate a new life while honoring the life of a little one in heaven, these onesies, t-shirts, and long-sleeved shirts can help you do that. All proceeds go to help support Wings of Hope. Each item is $10 and includes shipping and handling. PLEASE NOTE: This was a test run of colors and sizes so we only have limited stock on hand. If you want to place an order, please email us to let us know which one so we can set it aside (for most we only have one size/color in stock). When these are gone - they are gone - but we will be putting together a new order form in the future. We are continuing to plan our next Evening of Remembrance, and want to share more of the details with you. Pastor Michael Omtvedt, from Hosanna Lutheran Church in Mankato, will be leading our service for the evening. The service is ecumenical – and will include music, prayers, special readings, and reflection. Musicians for the service will be vocalist Amy Kuch and guitarist Pam Schultze.
We will have limited seating available at the site. You are free to bring your own lawn chairs or stand for the service (we anticipate approximately 30 minutes). Following the service we invite you to join us for light refreshments at the site. As the weather gets warmer and we prepare for our next Evening of Remembrance, we wanted to take a moment to share information about the pavers at the Wings of Hope memorial site.
Rainbow babies - those bundles of love we joyfully welcome after pregnancy loss - are near and dear to our hearts. This shirt, made by a Wings of Hope volunteer for the son of one of our Board members, expresses the sentiment perfectly! After Every Storm There is a Rainbow of Hope... Here I Am Do you want your own Rainbow Baby gear? Our volunteer is considering making these for a fundraiser for Wings of Hope - please take 15 seconds to complete the interest survey below to let us know your thoughts! No matter where or when pregnancy loss occurs – there are physical, mental, and emotional issues facing mothers. We have heard from so many moms who just did not feel that they understood what it was going to be like – enduring a miscarriage at home – which only made this time in their lives all the more painful. Sometimes referred to in the medical community as expectant management, waiting for a miscarriage to occur at home after the doctor has delivered the devastating news that your child has died is like waiting on a lonely road for a deadly car crash you know will happen before your eyes. You feel helpless and out of control. Many women are sent home from medical offices with condolences and instructions to call the office after passing large clots, or prepare to experience what will feel like a heavy menstrual cycle with cramping. Too often we just don’t know how to actually prepare – and respond. So – let’s change that.
For mothers who choose, Wings of Hope does offer the common burial option for babies who die earlier than 20 weeks gestation. You can request a moisture-proof container from your physician for the purposes of transporting your child’s remains to the mortuary. Small, waterproof containers you might have at your home can work as well You must call the Mankato Mortuary (Riverfront Drive location) to make arrangements and this will include signing a release form to participate in the burial option. Please let us know what questions you have - let's keep the conversation going in our efforts to provide the resources we know women in our community need! Help us reach our fundraising goals while you join us for an evening of fun and art adventure! Laura from Design & Wine will lead our crew through the process of creating our own masterpieces like this painting. We will meet in the conference room at the WOW! Zone in Mankato at 7:00. Tickets are $45, and include all materials, instruction, and a drink ticket.
Send us an email or give us a call to reserve your spot! Join us for our first Design & Wine fundraising event! Many more details coming soon, but save the date to join us for an evening of fun, painting, and supporting Wings of Hope!
Losing a child during pregnancy can make you feel like you lose all of the "firsts", too. First smiles, first steps, first words, and first birthdays. It is easy to focus on those firsts we lose because we were planning a whole lifetime of firsts, seconds, and more. While they may not be the traditional "firsts", it can be comforting to think about, share memories of, and maybe record in a scrapbook the firsts that you did get to experience with your child.
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The journeyThe members of our committee have all been on the journey of pregnancy loss, but in different ways. Learn more about why they are all so passionate about bringing awareness and comfort to families who lose a child during pregnancy. Archives
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