Imagine to Hold Night of Remembrance on November 15th

At Tuesday evening's meeting of the Westfield Town Council, Mary Robinson, executive director of Imagine, presented plans to host a Night of Remembrance from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, November 15.

Imagine offers year-round grief support to children, teens and adults coping with loss due to death. The event will coincide with New Jersey Children's Grief Awareness Day. 

Robinson said the evening, which is open to everyone in the community, will consist of an art project, a remembrance service and refreshments.

"We're going to come together to remember the people in our lives who have died whom we've loved and celebrate their lives and also to promote resilience and healing of the people who are grieving," she said. 

Robinson also asked for the Council's approval on behalf of the center to create a reflection garden in Mindowaskin Park in conjunction with the Town of Westfield and the Friends of Mindowaskin Park. Robinson said the area would be very "uplifting and healing" and could serve as a place to "reflect quietly, to be in nature."

If approved, Robinson said the garden would be launched on Nov. 15. She added that a task force consisting of landscape architects, horticultural therapists, master gardeners and members of the community would be put in place to create the space.

Robinson said she looks forward to working with Town Administrator Jim Gildea and other local officials over the next several weeks to come up with additional plans for the reflection garden.