Set a butterfly free on Cancer Survivors Day

The Flathead Valley will celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day today with a butterfly release in two locations.

The national holiday celebrates those who have beaten cancer; in the United States there are 14 million cancer survivors.

Flathead Valley residents will be able to purchase and subsequently release a butterfly symbolizing life at The Raven in Bigfork and Angie’s Greenhouse in Columbia Falls.

“For a celebration of life, the symbolism of butterflies and rebirth was something we thought would be fitting,” said Britt McGillivray, Flathead Cancer Aid spokeswoman. “The release was an idea that I had so maybe survivors could release their own butterfly.”

All proceeds from the events go directly to benefit Flathead Cancer Aid Services and local patients.

Both events will feature live music, free ice cream from Sweet Peaks and activities for children.

The butterflies will be a mixture of painted ladies and monarchs. Angie’s Greenhouse was added to the event because the owner, Angie Olsen, is a breast cancer survivor.

The event, the 27th such survivors day, is celebrated in hundreds of communities nationwide as well as in nations such as Canada, India, Spain and the United Kingdom. At events survivors can connect with each other, thank health-care providers and celebrate milestones of their survival.

“We are hoping to do this event every year in the future,” McGillivray said. “And maybe have an event in Whitefish, Bigfork, Kalispell; everywhere where people might want to go to it.”