The first 200 participants to pick up their race packages will each receive a butterfly to release with their family and friends, should they choose. After participants complete the course, you will receive a butterfly that you can take to a quiet area in the park and participate in your own butterfly release to honour your journey. The butterfly release has been a beautiful and impactful experience for all who have participated in previous years.
The butterflies are ethically* sourced by “Butterflies Wings & Wishes Ltd” in Edmonton. From their website they state:
A butterfly release ceremony is a touching and dignified way to honor the memory of someone you love or celebrate change. Returning native butterflies to their natural habitat is peaceful, healing and serene; a beautiful and meaningful way of providing friends, family, and especially children a way to express their emotions while connecting with nature and feeling part of something greater.
Butterflies have long been symbolic of new beginnings, transition, and hope. Many ancient cultures believed the butterfly was a symbol of connection to the ancestors, and to this day humans worldwide still consider butterflies to be messengers between the human soul and the spirit world. So too, in many ancient languages the word for the human soul and the word for butterflies or moths were often synonymous.
Ask around: chances are you already know someone who has a connection to butterflies or a butterfly tale to tell.
Ethical Release
*Please note: Prior to making our decision to release butterflies, we diligently researched the ethical release of butterflies. Based on our research, we chose“Butterflies Wings & Wishes Ltd who ethically sources and sells their butterflies.
They only sell butterflies native to Alberta and they do not offer releases outside of weather conditions when the butterflies can survive. Consideration and care for the butterflies is extremely important to us and we are proud to work with this local company again.
Reminder: please note that we only have 200 butterflies and they will be handed out on a first come, first serve basis. The butterflies are included in your ticket!
