The deadline to order your butterflies and have names listed in the program is May 31st.

For those who wish to participate, there will also be a memorial ceremony at 9:30.

We will have creative activities for children and families. Join our Grief Counselors in creating spring-themed crafts and keepsake reminders of this special day!

Butterflies symbolize our lasting love and the spiritual renewal of a new season. We’re honoring loved ones who are gone from our sight, but not from our hearts. When you participate, you are also helping Alive’s patients and families write a special final chapter together. All funds raised support our nonprofit services including grief counseling, community education, and financial aid.

Honorary Junior Chair:

Belle Yeagle

Frequently Asked Questions:

How are the butterflies packaged? Your butterfly will be individually packaged inside a small, triangular box. You will open/unfold the box to release your butterfly.

What kind of butterflies are they and how long will they live? The butterflies released are Painted Ladies, which have an energetic flight pattern and can adapt easily to any environment. There is a myriad of hostplant species they can consume. After release, they live around 4-6 weeks. They are “friendly” butterflies, fearless when they interact with people, and will allow you to move in close for a photograph and sometimes even let you pick them up.

How long do I have to release my butterfly once I pick it up from you? The butterflies have been on ice to keep them dormant. Once we give them to you, you should have between 1-3 hours to release them. If you want to bring a cooler with you to pick them up and keep them on ice for a while longer, that would extend your time, but you should still release them within 4-5 hours. They can remain sleepy once just off the ice, so you might let them warm up a bit before releasing them once removed from the cooler. It’s important the boxes stay dry so make sure your cooler is cold but dry.

Will butterflies live in the butterfly house I bought? While we can’t guarantee that butterflies will make a home in your butterfly house, we know that the butterfly houses represent the space we keep in our hearts to remember those who have passed on. The houses help us remember the metaphor of the butterfly in the cycle of life. To help attract butterflies to your house, you can put some branches in the bottom to give them a place to cling to. Also, you can find some butterfly nectar (mostly sugar water) recipes on the internet that helps attract them.

2023 Alive Butterfly Release