Unity Announces Luminary Walk to Raise Funds for New Grief and Education Center

Green Bay, Wis. – On Friday, May 6, 2022, Unity, Northeast Wisconsin’s nonprofit leader in hospice care, supportive care, nonmedical home care and grief support, will host its inaugural Luminary Walk to raise funds for the region’s only freestanding grief and education center, Unity Grief and Education Center. Designed to support individuals and families of all ages who have experienced a death, Unity Grief and Education Center is located at 2079 Lawrence Drive, De Pere. The new facility was created so no one in our community must grieve alone. It features dedicated counseling rooms to accommodate adults, children, and families in need of grief support, as well as a large room for education and public outreach. The Center is staffed by Unity’s experienced Grief Services team which consists of licensed counselors, social workers and trained volunteers who offer one-on-one and family grief counseling, grief groups and grief resources both in person and virtually. There is no fee for these services thanks to generous donors.

The Luminary Walk is a community event and NOT limited to families served by Unity Hospice. Everyone in Northeast Wisconsin is invited to attend and help raise funds in support of this new center and its dedicated grief support programs. Walk participants are encouraged to create their own fundraising pages and campaigns by utilizing the fundraising tools easily accessible on Unity’s website at unityhospice.org/luminarywalk. Proceeds raised will ensure anyone in Northeast Wisconsin who is in need of professional grief counseling or education has access to find hope and share experiences – all at no cost to them.

Unity Grief Services Director Jenny Boeckman states “Unity’s bold commitment, that no one must grieve alone, led Unity on a journey to assess and evaluate the changing needs of those grieving throughout Northeast Wisconsin. Thanks to funding from a generous New York Life grant, combined with work provided by The Karma Group, Unity undertook in-depth focus group research in 2018-2019 to understand the voice of community members as well as Unity donors, clients, employees and volunteers. The research recognized Unity’s reputation as a leader in providing grief services and confirmed the need for greater grief programming which led Unity to open the Grief and Education Center in fall of 2021.”

The Luminary Walk will take place Friday, May 6 at Heritage Hill State Historical Park, 2640 S Webster Avenue, Green Bay, WI. Participants will have the opportunity to walk in honor of a loved one, in support of someone grieving or to show support for those in our communities who are facing a loss. Event check-in and t-shirt pick-up will begin at 6:30 pm, along with pre-walk activities including stations to personalize the commemorative Walk t-shirt and take a selfie. A special program filled with inspiration will begin at 7:45 pm with the walk to start promptly at 8:00 p.m. Participants will take a stroll on the serene 1.5-mile paved walking trail guided by glowing luminaries. A wheelchair accessible tram will be available. The Moravian Church, the oldest standing church in Green Bay overlooking Heritage Hill’s 54-acre park, will be open for reflection.

To register as an individual or a team, visit www.unityhospice.org/LuminaryWalk. To be guaranteed a commemorative t-shirt, walkers must be registered by April 8th and submit a $35 minimum donation.

The Luminary Walk will take place Friday, May 6 at Heritage Hill State Historical Park.

Several sponsorship opportunities exist for businesses and individuals to support the inaugural Luminary Walk and Unity Grief and Education Center. Sponsorship levels are as follows:

• Presenting Sponsor $10,000
• Platinum T-Shirt Sponsor $5,000
• Luminary Sponsor $3,500
• HOPE Marquee Sponsor $2,500
• Refreshment Sponsor $2,000

Sponsorships should be received no later than Friday, April 8, 2022. For questions related to sponsorship opportunities, contact Unity Director of Development, Diana Butz, at 920-339-5571.

About Unity Grief and Education Center
Unity Grief and Education Center was created to be a safe haven to learn about grief, share experiences and find hope. In 2020 alone, 62,637 people died in Wisconsin. Statistics show each death leaves behind an average of five grieving people which equates to more than 313,185 grieving a recent death. Furthermore, studies estimate that one in 15 children in Wisconsin will experience the death of a parent or sibling by age 18. Many times, these adults, families, and children struggle to find a healing outlet for their grief which negatively impacts their ability to function at home, school, work and within relationships.

Unity Grief and Education Center houses Unity’s experienced Grief Services team consisting of licensed counselors, social workers and trained volunteers. Recognizing that every individual grieves in a unique way, Unity offers a wide variety of services to anyone who has experienced a death including:

• Individual Grief Counseling
• Family Grief Counseling
• Grief Support groups for children, teens, families and adults
• Supportive Telephone calls
• Memorial services
• Newsletter and literature resources
• Holiday support
• Grief consultation for businesses and schools

There is no charge for the services that Unity Grief and Education Center provides. Generous donations allow Unity to offer compassionate grief support at no charge. For more information about Unity Grief and Education Center or the inaugural Luminary Walk, call (920) 339-6700 or visit unityhospice.org/grief.

About Unity
Unity is a nonprofit provider of hospice care, supportive care, nonmedical home care and grief support across 13 counties throughout Northeast Wisconsin. A continuation of Bellin Hospice, Wisconsin’s first hospice program and the nation’s third, Unity is a partnership of Bellin Health, HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center and HSHS St. Vincent Hospital. A true pioneer in caring for those coping with serious illness and end-of-life, Unity continues to lead the industry launching the state’s first palliative care program in 2002, the area’s first hospice residence in 2007, and the region’s only Grief and Education Center in 2021. As the only locally owned and operated nonprofit hospice agency in the region, Unity is the sole provider of inpatient hospice at seven area hospitals including Bellin Health, HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center and HSHS St. Vincent Hospital. Unity’s partnerships with area skilled nursing facilities, assisted-living facilities and pharmacies ensure seamless care in all settings.

For those seeking a lasting way to honor loved ones, personalized 2021 Honor a Life Keepsake Ornaments and engraved memorial bricks are available for purchase. Proceeds raised ensure Unity Grief and Education Center, Northeast Wisconsin’s only freestanding counseling and education center, can continue to offer professional support to individuals and families of all ages who have experienced a death – at no cost to them. Orders are due by November 30, 2021. Ornaments will be shipped via USPS directly to your home. Memorial bricks will be installed in Unity’s Garden with a brick dedication to take place in August 2022. To place an order, visit: Honor a Life. Please call Unity’s Grief Services Team at 800-990-9249 with any questions.

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