Senate Resolution No. 5070

BY: Senator DEFRANCISCO

COMMEMORATING the 40th Anniversary of HOPE For
Bereaved, Inc.

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to
those individuals and institutions within our community that add to the
quality of life for all residents, and to recognize the contributions
they make to society; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 40th Anniversary of HOPE For Bereaved, Inc., and to
recognize the integral role it has played in the lives of so many
individuals and their families; and

WHEREAS, On May 28, 2018, Hope For Bereaved, Inc. will commemorate
its milestone anniversary at its annual Memorial Day Ceremony in The
Butterfly Garden of HOPE; and

WHEREAS, HOPE For Bereaved is a 501-C(3) organization whose mission
is to offer support, understanding, coping strategies, friendship, and
hope to the bereaved; and

WHEREAS, In 1978, HOPE For Bereaved was established in Syracuse, New
York, by Therese Schoeneck who was determined that something positive
would come from the tragic death of her daughter; and

WHEREAS, What began in 1978 with a bereaved parents support group
has greatly expanded over the past four decades to today with 12
different support groups; families, businesses, and healthcare
professionals often turn to HOPE for training, guidance and resources
when grieving with loss; and

WHEREAS, The many services offered by HOPE For Bereaved include
one-on-one counseling, support groups, a telephone hotline, and a free
newsletter for grieving families and community members; and

WHEREAS, HOPE For Bereaved regularly provides bereavement workshops
to daycare providers and various employers dealing with grief in the
workplace, including staff at hospitals and individuals with
developmental disabilities; and

WHEREAS, In addition, The Butterfly Garden of HOPE, established in
1993, is a memorial to those who have died, a symbol of hope to the
living and a place of comfort for the grieving, located on the lawn
between Onondaga Lake and the Parkway in Liverpool, New York; and

WHEREAS, In 2009, HOPE For Bereaved initiated its "Butterfly Art
Project" for students in schools to create art in memory of loved ones
to better understand grief and express their feelings; and

WHEREAS, Over the past 40 years, hundreds of volunteers have
dedicated themselves to the mission of HOPE For Bereaved, helping to

educate the Central New York community about HOPE services and raise
money for continued operations; and

WHEREAS, HOPE For Bereaved annual events include the Remembrance
Run/Walk, a golf tournament, and the Celebration of HOPE Dinner; and

WHEREAS, Today, HOPE For Bereaved services are utilized locally,
nationally, and internationally, and have touched the lives of more than
10,000 people of all ages; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 40th Anniversary of HOPE For Bereaved, Inc., and to
recognize the integral role it has played in the lives of so many
individuals and their families; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Therese Schoeneck, Founder and Executive Director of HOPE
For Bereaved, Inc.