Memories take flight at Banner Health’s annual butterfly release in Greeley
GREELEY, Colo. (June 10, 2026) – Banner Health invites community members to gather for Memories with Wings, its annual butterfly release and memorial service, on Saturday, June 20, 2026. The event offers a meaningful opportunity to honor loved ones who have passed in hospice care or reflect alongside others.
The event will take place at the Banner Hospice Memorial Garden, located at Summit View Medical Commons. The memorial service will begin promptly at 9 a.m., followed by a group butterfly release.
This annual gathering offers a space for individuals and families navigating grief to come together, reflect and remember. Hosted by Banner Hospice, the event reflects the program’s commitment to compassionate, patient-centered end-of-life care and ongoing bereavement support.
“Events like this create an opportunity for our community to pause, reflect and honor those they’ve lost in a shared, meaningful way,” said Julie Miller, MA, LPC, bereavement coordinator. “Our hospice team is committed not only to caring for patients, but also to supporting families through their grief journey.”
Event details:
The event is open to the public and welcomes anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one, regardless of whether they received hospice care through Banner. For those unable to attend in person, Banner Hospice volunteers and staff will conduct a dedicated butterfly release on their behalf. Out of respect for attendees, pets are not permitted at the event. Any butterflies not picked up or reserved will be released following the memorial program.
Participants will need to RSVP and reserve butterflies by Friday, June 12, 2026. For more information or to RSVP, contact bereavement coordinator Julie Miller at (970) 939-6481.
About Banner Health
As one of the nation's largest fully integrated nonprofit health systems, we are pioneering a sustainable care model that prioritizes prevention, manages chronic disease, and reduces health spending – succeeding when patients stay healthy, not when they get sick. We operate 33 hospitals and more than 400 sites across six states, delivering seamless care from primary to quaternary medicine, including health insurance, physician networks, world-renowned specialty services, and behavioral health. Accountable to the communities we serve, we reinvest every dollar into advancing care, research, and facilities, providing more than $1 billion each year in community benefit. Through our partnership with the University of Arizona, we drive clinical discoveries across more than 800 trials and train more than 1,300 residents and fellows annually. Headquartered in Arizona, we serve Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming. Our hospitals are consistently ranked among Arizona's top-performing by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com/about.
Banner North Colorado Medical Center
Kelly Wakefield
