Death Education Fair March 2nd
Come join us for the Death Education Fair on March 2nd, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm in the QCC. Drop by anytime and stay as long as you like. This welcoming event offers a warm and friendly opportunity to learn about aging, dying, death, and grief while you have the cognitive and emotional capacity to do so.
Most of us would like to age in place, die in our own homes surrounded by loved ones, and leave this earth in the kindest way possible. Yet, in Western culture, this is often not the reality. We meticulously plan for things like buying appliances or organizing vacations, but we shy away from planning for death, fearing it will cast a shadow over our lives. By not taking the time to prepare, we unintentionally accept the prevailing cultural norms, unaware of alternatives that might offer a healthier, more compassionate, eco-friendly path.
Reena Lazar from Willow EOL shares this:
Here’s something remarkable we’ve discovered after facilitating hundreds of end-of-life conversations: while death is inevitable, many of our deepest fears about dying are not. In fact, many of the scenarios that keep people up at night can be prevented or managed—if we’re willing to face them.
Most of us know this. We know we should plan. We know we should prepare. Yet we don’t. We put it off, push it away, promise ourselves we’ll do it “someday.” Even when we understand the consequences. Even when we’ve seen others suffer from lack of preparation.
Why? Because thinking about death feels overwhelming. Because we don’t know where to start. Because some of the tasks don’t interest us. Because it seems like there will always be more time.
Until there isn’t.
The Fair will feature informational tables covering topics such as estate and personal planning, community-led death care, natural burial, caskets and shrouds, Threshold Choir, hospice, grief and loss, MAiD, and more. Attendees are encouraged to browse at their own pace, ask questions, and engage with knowledgeable members of their own community who can offer guidance and insight.
You are invited to bring a picture or memento to place on the ‘In Remembrance’ table. In this way, you can acknowledge your grief for those you miss, and show your gratitude for how their lives have touched yours.
In the Green Room, relax in the Death Cafe and engage in guided conversation while enjoying tea and cookies.
In the Yoga Room, we’ll have four scheduled 20-minute presentations on: Compassionate Communities, Estate and Personal Planning, Community-Led Death Care, and the Quadra Island Cemetery.
Come discover that learning about death isn’t morbid or depressing—it’s empowering. Gaining knowledge, exploring alternative approaches, and acknowledging death is part of life can lighten your heart and sweeten your days.