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Pa ge 1 6 T hu rs da y, F eb ru ar y 19 , 2 01 5 - T he IF P - H al to n H ill s - w w w .th ei fp .c a COMMUNITY In response to a great turnout and overwhelmingly positive feedback, the Halton Hills Death Cafe will re- turn to Georgetown on Tuesday, Feb. 24, this time taking advantage of the wonderful ambience of historic Devereaux House. Most people find death an un- comfortable topic to discuss. Death denial is common in our society, and that can make dealing with the end of life much more difficult. But, what if accepting death meant that we could find more purpose and meaning in our lives? What if remembering that death is coming for us actually helped us chose to live more fully, joyfully and consciously? A Death Cafe is a chance to have thoughtful, respectful, and engag- ing conversation with others about death and dying, over a great cup of coffee or tea, while enjoying de- licious treats. The objective is to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives. The popularity of Death Cafes has risen dramatically over the past three years, spreading quickly across Europe, North America and Austral- asia. According to the website for the movement, www.deathcafe.com, more than 1,500 Death Cafes have taken place since September, 2011. The Death Cafe model was de- veloped by Jon Underwood and Sue Barsky Reid, from the United Kingdom, based on the ideas of Ber- nard Crettaz. The first Death Cafe in Canada was held in Victoria, B.C. in December 2012. The Halton Hills Death Cafe is co-facilitated by Marion Willms, a thanadoula and Registered Nurse with experience in Palliative Care and Community Nursing, and El- len Newman, a former funeral Cel- ebrant currently enrolled in the Fu- neral Service Education program at Humber College. The women met in 2014 and discovered a mutual interest in the Death Cafe concept. They attended one together and the experience was so positive they decided to facilitate one themselves in October 2014. People from all walks of life, ranging in age from 19 to 70, came together to discuss a difficult topic and were so engaged, they continued talk- ing in the parking lot long after the event ended. Participants were en- couraged to comment on the most meaningful aspects of the event. One stated, "Often, we don't open up with the people closest to us about topics such as this, so for many this forum gave a 'test run' with compassionate strangers, so that many can now broach the subject with a loved one." Another attendee commented, "Our com- munity needs more of these oppor- tunities/forums". The Halton Hills Death Cafe will take place 7-9 p.m. at Devereaux House, 11494 Trafalgar Road, Georgetown, (www.devereaux- house.ca). Coffee, tea, and treats will be served. The event is free to attend, but donations of any amount will be gratefully accepted to cover minimal costs. Those 18 years of age and over who wish to discuss death in a positive, non-threatening way are encouraged to attend. Death Cafe is not intended to be bereavement support, therapy or counselling and is a non-profit event, held in an accessible, respect- ful, confidential space, with no in- tention of leading people to any con- clusion, product or course of action. Space is limited. Those interested can register by emailing haltonhillsdeathcafe@gmail. com, visiting the www.deathcafe.com website or by calling 905-965-0271. Halton Hills Death Cafe returns to Georgetown Suicide alertness is for everyone. Learn four basic steps to recognize persons with thoughts of suicide and connect them with suicide helping re- sources in a three-hour training work- shop offered on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at the Halton Hills Cultural Centre. SafeTALK is for everyone who wants to help prevent suicide: front line workers, clergy, volunteers, par- ents, youth, teachers and law enforce- ment-- anyone, who wants to be a suicide alert helper! SafeTALK is brief, affordable and internationally recognized. The session will be held 7-10 p.m. at a cost of $5 per person to cover the cost of materials. Please e-mail Gail at dcnhalton@ bellnet.ca to secure your spot. Become suicide alert