Bethany Center for Grieving Children opens Lakeland location

Tony Hale worked for more than 20 years in the admissions department at Good Shepherd Hospice before he died August 2021.

His wife of 29 years, Nancy Hale, was a guest speaker at the recent ribbon cutting ceremony for the Bethany Center for Grieving Children housed at the Good Shepherd in Lakeland.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think after hearing my husband praise his employers, Good Shepherd Hospice, for the work they did that our family would have to be a recipient," said Hale. "In the early days of grief, individual grief, family counseling was a needed addition to our weekly schedules.”

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Hale spoke about how one of their daughters would look forward to seeing their bereavement specialist or that their son was able to feel like his anger was validated.

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“I also benefitted from the Good Shepherd staff and the grief group that was offered," said Hale. "It was a relief to learn that we were not going crazy - this is just a crazy journey.”

According to Good Shepherd Hospice, the Bethany Center was created to honor Bethany Anne Traviesa in 1991. She was concerned that her children would not have grief support after her death.

“It was 30 years ago that Beth Traviesa, thinking of her three children, envisioned a place for grieving children,” said an original founding member of the Bethany Center Fran Gompf in a press release. “It was Beth who organized the first meeting, right down to the pizza they would share while being counseled. Lakeland was her home, and it needs to be the home of this amazing facility.”

The Bethany Center is a not-for-profit affiliate of Chapters Health System and services Hardee, Highlands and Polk counties with locations in Sebring and Auburndale. The Bethany Center was moved to Auburndale in 2001. The proposal to bring a location back to Lakeland began in 2019. The $550,000 project was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Adam Stanfield, Vice President of Development & Executive Director for Chapters Health Foundation, said it was destined for the center to be open.

“This is remarkable," he said. "The story is so rich in history. It’s really a 30-year vision that’s finally come true in the main concept of what it was intended. This center was supposed to always be here in Lakeland but at some point, in time years ago the decision was made to move it to our facility in Auburndale at the Forsythe House.”

“It’s done great but the distance between Auburndale and Lakeland is sufficient enough where a lot of people don’t make that trek," he added. "So, when the opportunity came to potentially bring this back to Lakeland philanthropically speaking, I was just like 'let’s figure out a way to do it.'”

Kyle Zenkner, executive director for Good Shepherd Hospice, said Thursday marked a great day in Polk County.

"It’s been a long journey, but it makes us so proud that we’re able to get it here and get it open especially with the new technology,” said Zekner.

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Guests were able to tour the new facility following the ribbon cutting and butterfly release. The center includes interactive sand trays, a grief cave, an activity patio and a counseling suite.

Esylen Stephens, bereavement specialist, says activities like the sand tray allow children to grieve through playing.

“This a nonverbal way for them to express their grief,” Stephens said. “If they don’t want to say a thing, we can just listen through their body language.”

The counseling suites allow for group or one-on-one counseling. Julie Ketcham, Chapters Health director of corporate is confident in the ability of the bereavement specialists to guide the children through the grief process.

“Our bereavement specialists really know how to read or understand what kids need to come out of their shells,” said Ketcham.

Andrew Molosky, president and CEO of Chapters Health System, says anytime they can give back to a community that has given so much to them is rewarding.

“This was a brainchild trying to find the latest and greatest and the most cutting edge that we could do for our kids in our community,” Molosky said.

For additional information or to register for grief support services call 863-968-1707.

Breanna A. Rittman writes news features for The Ledger. Send your feature ideas to BRittman@gannett.com. 

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland gets new Bethany Center for Grieving Children location