Drop in to Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library on Sept. 13 from 3 to 5 p.m. to paint your Heart of Hope for a Maine veteran. It takes approximately 30 minutes to paint a ceramic heart, write your message of Hope and give a tangible creation of love to our Maine veterans returning from their Honor flight from Washington, D.C. Honor Flight celebrates America’s veterans by inviting them to share in a day of honor at our nation’s memorials. Honored veterans travel free of charge.

Since first forming in 2001, more than 200,000 Hearts of Hope gifts have been created and delivered worldwide. Hearts of Hope founder, Judy Pedersen, dreamed of forming a welcoming, safe haven for those facing loss. According to Judy, “grief is a lonely place and people who are grieving often don’t know where to turn or what services are available for them.

Local volunteer/ event organizer Diane Demetriades says “ The feeling of community you get when you attend one of these events is beautiful. You get to meet people who are there for the same purpose. You may not know everyone, but the conversation flows and you are all working together towards the same common goal. We provide the hearts, paint, and all the other supplies needed to complete your project. Hearts will be provided on a first-come basis, until they are all painted.” 

Hearts of Hope have expanded their services to include bereavement resource and referral services to all facing trauma and loss. They now offer comprehensive Grief Support Programs for both youth & adults. Learn more about Hearts of Hope at ourheartsofhope.org. If you are interested in hosting a future Hearts of Hope event locally, or are interested in “adopting a classroom” please contact Diane Demetriades at ddemetriades@comcast.net for more information. 

Join us for Hearts of Hope,  Wednesday, Sept. 13, 3 to 5 p.m., at Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library, 4 Oak Street, Boothbay Harbor.