Butterfly Release Celebration
Date: Friday, June 20, 2025
Time: 2:30 pm
Location: Menno Place Courtyard
Gates open at 1:30 pm | Butterflies available for pick-up at 2:00 pm
Refreshments to Follow
A joyful time to release butterflies into the beautiful courtyard. Join with residents to share a special moment of excitement as butterflies are released by those who have pre-purchased a butterfly in anticipation of sharing this precious memory together.
Free Parking & Shuttle Service
Parking on the Menno Place campus will be free on Friday, June 14th for this event. There will be additional parking available down the street at Peace Lutheran Church and Mill Lake Church (1.5 blocks away at the corner of Marshall Rd & Ware St).
A shuttle service will run approximately every 20 minutes from Peace Lutheran Church beginning at 1:20pm for those attending the Butterfly Release. The shuttle will run until the program begins at 2:30 and will return to the church parking lot after the event at 3:30.
Memorial Service
Menno Place holds an annual Memorial Service for those who have passed away in the previous year. This is held in conjunction with the Butterfly Release for those who wish to remember a loved one through the releasing of a butterfly. The Memorial Service takes place at 1:00 pm in the Hospital Chapel just prior to the Butterfly Release. The primary contacts of all those who’ve passed away between June 1, 2023 and May 31, 2024 will receive an invitation to attend the memorial. If you’d like to view the livestream, you may do so here at the time of the event.
Who purchases a butterfly for release?
- Residents who would enjoy releasing a butterfly
- Friends and family members who want to honour the life of a loved one who has passed away
- Friends and family members who want to honour the life of a resident who is living at Menno Place, creating a special moment and memory
- Staff who want to remember a resident or celebrate the life of a resident at Menno Place
How much does a butterfly cost? What is the money for?
In order to release a butterfly, each participant will purchase a butterfly for $30. This will cover the cost of the butterfly, and all remaining proceeds and donations will go towards our recreation programs.
Why butterflies?
We see the butterfly as a symbol of transformation and transition because of its impressive process of metamorphosis. The butterfly moves from egg to larvae to pupa and emerges from the cocoon with grace and beauty. This reminder encourages us to move through our own transitions with hope and grace, embracing the next stage of life.
A butterfly’s metamorphosis is also symbolic of faith. The butterfly beckons us to keep our faith as we undergo transitions in our lives. We can see that toiling, fretting and anger are useless against the turning tides of change. The butterfly invites us to recognize this for our own transitions.
How do I purchase a butterfly?
- Complete your purchase on our website, using the form at the top of this page. We highly recommend this option!
- Apartment Residents only may direct bill the cost of the butterfly to their account. Please connect with the Life Enrichment Team (Ange Kovacs, Judith Sung, Angela Hayward) at 604.851.4004 to place your order.
- If supplies last, there may be additional butterflies available for cash purchase at the event.
Can’t join us in-person for the Butterfly Release?
Buy Now!
Charitable Tax Receipts will be issued for all donations above cost of the butterflies.
