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Wednesday, August 30, 2006 · Page 25 Leamington District Memorial Hospital chaplains, Georgina Haig and Liz Chaplin, and Lee Anne Setterington, vice-president of Erie Memorial Gardens, stand in front of the chapel at LDMH. Chaplin and Setterington decided in January 2005 to develop a memorial garden for stillborn and miscarried babies. Butterfly garden validates life BY CRYSTAL KOTOW LEAMINGTON ­ A portion of a Leamington cemetery is being transformed into a memorial garden for babies who never had a chance to join their families. The idea was developed by Liz Chaplin, the chaplain of Leamington District Memorial Hospital, and Lee Anne Setterington, the vicepresident of Erie Memorial Gardens in January 2005. Up until now the only formal condolence offered to families of miscarried or stillborn babies was a memorial service at the hospital once a year. The infant garden will open next month. Setterington's family has owned Erie Memorial Gardens since its development in 1988. She said in many cases stillborn babies have been buried in plots along with deceased relatives, or if no existing plots are available, families are forced to buy adult-sized plots to bury their child. Miscarried babies are kept for a year by the hospital and then removed. "This area on a whole doesn't have any baby gardens," she said. "It's nice that now parents will know their children are with other children." The new memorial garden will include a section called the "Chrysalis Corner" specifically for miscarried babies. Setterington chose the name for its symbolism. In the early stages of development, a butterfly is called a chrysalis before it breaks out of its cocoon. After one year parents of miscarried babies will have the option to have the remains cremated and buried with other miscarried children at the site. A bronze butterfly stone will display the year of the baby's death. Georgina Haig, the newest addition to pastoral services at LDMH, said the garden not only comforts parents but also validates the life of the infant. "The instant you know you're pregnant, it's your baby. It's desperately wanted," Haig said. "This will validate not only the life of their child but also the pain they're feeling. It's saying to parents that the baby existed." One of the most important aspects of the garden, Chaplin said, is that it allows parents to go through the burial ritual. She said the process helps parents cope with the abrupt nature of their situation. "Before, parents had nowhere to go if they wanted to think about it or reflect," Chaplin said. "They would always hear `Oh you'll have another one.' But maybe they won't have another one. It's nice to give them an area they can go and see the stone that will be there." The garden will feature plants and flowers that attract butterflies and eventually benches where parents can sit. A burial service for all miscarried babies during the year will be held each May. The dedication of the infant garden will be held at 2 p.m. Sept. 17 at Erie Memorial Gardens on Erie Street South in Leamington. The remembrance service is for anyone who has been affected by miscarriage, stillbirth or death of a newborn. A reception will follow. For more information call Liz Chaplin at 519326-2373 ext. 4443, or Donna White at 519-3262373 ext. 4131. Tell it like it is! The foundation of good reporting is telling the facts in an objective and fair manner. Our professional journalists strive for that in each and every issue of the Essex Free Press. We do our research and we present the facts ­ not our opinions. When it comes to advertising, we also ... Tell it like it is! Confirmed, verified readership is the best measure of a newspaper's success. That's why the Essex Free Press participated in the ComBase 2005 study.* And that's why we know . . . Request for Quotes Town of Essex Painting Essex Community Centre and Flooring Essex Community Centre Quotes for painting and for flooring of the Essex Community Centre will be received by the Department of Parks and Recreation, Town of Essex, 33 Talbot St. S, Essex, ON N8M 1A8 no later than Friday, September 8th, 2006 by 12:00 p.m. with a public opening at 12:15 p.m. at the Town Hall in Council Chambers. All quotes MUST be received in a sealed envelope clearly indicating which quote is being quoted on. Any proposals received after the specified closing date and time will not be considered. No email or faxed quotes will be eligible. A copy of each Request for Quote requirements may be obtained by accessing the Town web page at www.townofessex.on.ca under the "Tenders" section or at Essex Town Hall (33 Talbot St. S, Essex, ON) SITE MEETINGS will occur on Friday September 1st at the Essex Community Centre, 35 Gosfield Townline West, Essex (former Holy Name Elementary School). The site meeting for the "Painting" will be given at 9:30 a.m. and the "Flooring" site meeting will be at 10:30 a.m. The Town of Essex reserves the right to reject any or all proposals. The Essex Free Press is the Best Read weekly community newspaper in the Essex area! No other newspaper in our area has measured their readership. No other newspaper in our area can even estimate their readership accurately. DON'T BE MISLED! If you want the facts, call the Essex Free Press 776-4268 Laurie Brett, Publisher * ComBase is North America's largest media study measuring newspapers of all types in more than 400 markets and providing objective, third party readership information to media planners and buyers. The Essex Free Press has confirmed verified readership of 2.2 readers per copy. Other weekly newspapers in our area simply don't know what their readership is. Doug Sweet Director of Parks and Recreation (519) 776-7336 x30