Gallatin Valley Circle of Compassion (GVCC) invites community members to participate in their fifth annual Mountains of Courage conference, “When Someone Dies: Dialogues with the Living about Death and Dying.” The one day conference is designed to explore the end of life journey by providing a relaxed setting for individuals and caregivers to discover available resources, tools and information.
The conference will be held on Saturday, February 20th from 8:45am-4pm at the Baxter Hotel in downtown Bozeman. Early registration is encouraged as space is limited. Registration fee includes lunch. Check-in begins at 8:00.
On-line registration is available. Presenters and panelists will include health professionals, spiritual counselors, social workers, educators, and caregivers. Participants will have the opportunity to explore practical issues, emotions, myths and traditions and learn how to shift the current paradigm. They will learn about practical tools and resources to assist in making informed decisions when faced with end of life issues. Sample topics include: Estate Planning, Communicating with Your Doctor, Advanced Directives, and Imagination in Childhood Grief. Keynote speaker, Nona Chambers, has a Masters Degree in Social Work and a Masters Degree in Gerontology. She has worked in numerous capacities in the geriatric and end of life fields in Montana for more than 35 years.
She has served as the President of the Montana Gerontology Society, the Montana Mental Health Association, and the Gallatin County Council on Aging. She maintains a national certification in Hospice and Palliative care and had a private geriatric counseling and Case Management practice for many years. Chambers currently works as the social worker on the Palliative Care Team at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital–a part of Bozeman Health. The host for the conference is Gallatin Valley Circle of Compassion (GVCC), a volunteer group of local community members who are professionally and/or personally touched by the human experience of death and dying. Their mission: “Connecting, educating and supporting our community regarding questions and issues related to death and dying.” GVCC’s intention for the conference is that participants will feel empowerment, courage, a sense of calm and confidence, and the ultimate realization that one does not have to be alone in this journey.
Check-in starts at 8am and the conference goes to 4pm. Conference fees are $40 with advance registration through February 18th, $55 at the door. Military or College Students enjoy a special rate of $25 with valid ID. Lunch is included in the conference fees. CEU’s and scholarships are available. Conference details and downloadable registration forms are available on-line at gallatinvalleycircleofcompassion.org/. For additional information, call 585-1473. •
