Spectrum Lakeland expands grief healing center Lory’s Place

expansion-at-lorys-place

Lory’s Place, a grief healing and education center of Caring Circle, hosted a dedication event Wednesday, September 28, celebrating the expansion of services, adult peer support programs, and new facility space.

Community members, donors, volunteers, and Spectrum Health Lakeland team members gathered to acknowledge the outstanding work provided to the community for over 18 years, since retired director and founder, Lisa Bartoszek, first saw a need for a special place to support individuals and families on their grief journey.

“We know the need for Lory’s Place is essential to community members and we are grateful for the opportunity to expand our care,” said Stephanie Kohler-Pagan, director of Lory’s Place, Spectrum Health Lakeland. “Lory’s Place is a treasured gift to our community that is made possible by generous donors, volunteers, and team members. This addition will ensure that we are able to provide healing and support for years to come.”

The enlarged facility is 2,640 square feet of newly renovated space and includes a full kitchen designed for participants to gather, socialize, and partake in peer support events, like Cooking for One, where adults connect with others experiencing the death of a loved one while learning useful culinary skills. A new larger gathering area was created to host a variety of support programs, including a new event, Spoken Word: Grief Expression, where Lory’s Place guests can take part in an evening of creative grief expression shared through poetry, song, or reading.

The expansion was made possible by many generous donors, including Frederick S. Upton Foundation, Ron Schults, The McLoughlin Family Foundation, the Starks family, the French family, and an endearing anonymous donor.

Lory’s Place is available to any community member and all services are free of charge. To learn more about peer support group session, additional services offered, or how you can donate time or funds, visit lorysplace.org or call 269.983.2707.