COEUR d’ALENE — Sara Jane Ruggles had an epiphany about community healing after she was hired as the public historian at Auburn Crest Hospice in 2020. 

She did her research and made a well-placed cold call to Stephen Cook of the University of Idaho Entomology Department to see if they could help ethically source butterflies for a memorial release event. 

“I hope this isn’t the weirdest phone call you’ve ever received,” she began.    

The idea came to her during the first week of May on the anniversary of her losing her son during pregnancy. 

“It’s always a difficult time. I call it angel week,” Ruggles said. “That week, there were butterflies everywhere.”  

Auburn Crest’s logo is a butterfly, so the idea of tailoring an outreach event that centered on butterflies ignited a spark within her, and she quickly got her boss on board. 

“The whole point is for families to have a moment of connection in their own grief with their loved one," Ruggles said. "I wanted it to be beautiful for those who are grieving and for the butterflies." 

Ruggles surprised Cook with the call as the request had come during a crossroads in his life. 

“This is the strangest call," he said. "I’ve just had a family member pass in hospice and know what that’s like. This is incredible timing, I’m all for it,” she recalled him saying. 

Cook directed his graduate students to raise Painted Lady butterflies in the labs as part of the event and they drove up to the ceremony for their ceremonial release.  

The fifth memorial butterfly release is planned for Tuesday, June 23, for the community at the Share Hope Memorial Garden, at the intersection of Eighth Street and Gilbert Avenue in Coeur d'Alene. 

When she first visited the garden, Ruggles was struck by the calm respite of its remote location. She hoped others would feel the peace she was filled with during that first visit. 

“It's very quiet, it’s private. It has a kind of sacred feeling,” Ruggles said.

The nondenominational event runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The Northwest Infant Survival and SIDS Alliance (NISSA) and the University of Idaho also partner on the event, with support from community businesses.      

“It’s neighbors coming together and all of these businesses coming together,” Ruggles said. “We wouldn’t have an event without them.” 

Though Ruggles had hoped to have a few people that first year, about 40 people wound up coming. Close to 100 attended the event last year.

Additional event parking is offered at St. Pius X Church. 

People can write private notes to their loved ones on dissolvable paper and then place them under water to release the message. Because the fountain vessel is filled with flowers, the butterflies often linger on the flora before departing the garden.

“It’s just open to anybody who needs it,” Ruggles said.