Founded in 2017 following the death of her husband in 2013, our Sunrise founder, Marni Henderson, hoped to create a space of healing nourishment and hope-filled connections for other widows.
When she shared her dream with a small group of other women, they answered YES, and the dream became a reality. They became the "Dream Team." After reaching out to River Discovery, a local nonprofit in Boise serving cancer survivors, we joyfully partnered to offer the retreat for widows of cancer in McCall, Idaho. Now, in 2019, we begin the next step by establishing our own nonprofit, Sunrise Retreats, Inc. By taking this step, we will now be able to expand our reach to ALL widows and others experiencing loss.
Today, we have many of the past retreat participants volunteering to continue the circle of outreach. Our "Trail Blazers" bring their passion to the community as they reach out in hope.
Together we share in our common humanity:
Finding compassion, strength, wisdom, courage, and inspiration to keep living through the fullness of life after loss.
The death of a spouse is a natural part of our human experiences. The challenge of living as widows or widowers and without the person we hoped to spend our future lives with is devastating. It is heartbreaking and life-altering. We find ourselves trying to pick up the pieces of our shattered lives. These pieces might include our identity, financial stability, future plans, human touch, emotional support, memories or a co-parent. Although the journey into grief for widows is a preciously intimate experience, something magical happens when we come together in our healing.
At Sunrise Retreats, we are building a community that honors the sacred grief journey and also supports the discovery of life after loss. We believe that when we have found enough of our own strength, we can reach out with our hearts and hands to support others as they begin to pick up the pieces and create a new life.
Our widow retreats are a place for you to find connections, deep understandings, and guidance. But, most of all - hope. As we honor the past, we bring awareness to the present and begin to rediscover a new vision for a future.
Sunrise Retreats was created with a very important focus on connecting in person. This is what makes our retreat experience so magical. And as we know, the times are changing, and we are doing our best to readjust. The health and safety of our participants and volunteers is so important. So, until we can gather in our healing together in person, we’ve made some adjustments to how we serve our community.
To join the Sunrise Members Only page, simple share your email address and create a password.
Access is granted immediately and you will have access to:
•Sunrise Chronicle - Our monthly aftercare guide
•Class Offerings - Discover virtual class offerings
•Wellness Wednesday - Not just for one day a week, but for everyday wellness
•Resources - Additional resources for grief and loss
Visit our Facebook page: facebook.com/sunriseretreats