Let’s be honest, not many folks get enthused when told they need to visit a hospital. Bradford Regional Medical Center has accepted that fact with grace by offering a Tranquility Garden next to the main entrance of the hospital — offering a calming effect before entering the hospital.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to experience the garden then this Friday at 4 p.m. might just offer the perfect chance for a visit to witness the results of an annual fundraiser where butterflies will fly away from the hospital to pollinate their way around the local area.
For months, people have been able to visit the BRMC Foundation office, BRMC Gift Shop and BRMC Volunteer office at the hospital in order to purchase a live butterfly, in memory of a loved one. Butterflies were sold at a cost of $15 and were all reserved by June 13 — now they are ready for flight. Friday at 4 p.m. those live butterflies will be released to celebrate all the good memories people have shared with those who have passed.
Each of the butterflies being released Friday was purchased to honor the memory of a deceased loved one, whose names will be listed for visitors in an available program.
According to the Long Island Aquarium, most of the 525 species of butterflies that frequent the lower 48 states have a short lifespan therefore staying alive for as long as possible allows the butterfly additional opportunities to mate — to continue the lineage of its species. The butterflies released this week, will most likely have the opportunity to find a mate to continue their lineage which encourages the growth of the butterfly population in Bradford and surrounding areas.
Butterflies are pollinators, similar to bees, birds, bats, beetles, flies, wasps, ants and moths, they help carry pollen from the male part of the flower, the stamen, to the female part of the same or another flower which fertilizes the plants and produces fruits, seeds and young plants, according to the National Park Service. Although the Bradford area has plenty of the aforementioned pollinators, butterflies are beautiful to watch while they work, due to their large colorful wings — so introducing more butterflies during the release into the area can only aid in the plant pollination and growth in the surrounding area. In a way, one could say the butterflies were purchased to honor deceased loved ones, and are still able to help their hometown through the work of their memorial butterfly.
Funds raised from the sale of the butterflies supports the mission of the hospital.