As you well know, there is no greater pain for a parent than the pain of outliving their child. But we parents are not the only ones who suffer. The death of a baby can be very difficult on our surviving children, and even our subsequent children. These kids witness their parents wrestling with overwhelming grief, and struggle with their own feelings of sadness and confusion. They deserve a day just to be carefree children, playing with their parents in the sunshine and having fun, and that is what our annual children's events are all about.
Sweet Pea Project will hold this special event for children who have lost a brother or sister during pregnancy or infancy on Saturday, June 5, 2021. (In case of bad weather, our rain date is Sunday, June 6.) Parents are invited to bring their surviving and subsequent children to Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, PA for a day of family fun.
We will also be replenishing our Remembrance Garden with fresh flowers thanks to the generous, family owned Shenk's Greenhouse on Old Philadelphia Pike. The children are invited to briefly pause from the fun of the rides, food, and waterpark to spend a few quiet moments kneeling down in the garden with their hands in the earth, planting colorful flowers to serve as a beautiful remembrance of their brother and/or sister, at the base of our Royal Burgundy Flowering Cherry tree.
Grandparents, cousins, and other extended family members are welcome to join us at the picnic, and may register to attend for a donation to Sweet Pea Project of at least $35, which includes park admission, parking, and a meal + ice cream. Please note: regular admission tickets will not allow guests to access our flower planting, free parking, food, etc. Season pass holders still need to register to be granted access to these areas and receive food voucher as well.
Registration is required for this event, and will close on April 30. Please contact Beth@sweetpeaproject.org with any questions you may have. Register at https://remembrance.wufoo.com/forms/sweet-pea-project-sisters-brothers-picnic/
In order to keep this day both fun and safe, Dutch Wonderland has asked us to share the following information with you so that you know what to expect this year, due to COVID-19 restrictions
· We will have capacity limits, so there will be fewer non-Sweet Pea Project guests at the park during the event.
· All guests will need to have their temperatures scanned before entering the park and anyone with a temperature of 100.4 or higher, or displaying symptoms of COVID-19, will be denied entry.
· Facial coverings will be required for all guests that are 2 and over.
· Due to venue occupancy restrictions we will have limited dining spaces and no live shows or costume characters.
· Rides and attractions including Duke’s Lagoon will be operating with reduced capacities to aid in social distancing.