What: A candle lighting service to remember love ones lost. Participation is free and open to everyone. Candles will be provided at no cost.

When: December 19, 2009 5:30 PM 

Where: The Amphitheater On the 

St. Johns River Down Town Palatka.

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 The Community Candle

           Light Remembrance Service

Click Here To Watch Live

For some it has been a difficult year and the holidays traditionally a time of celebration can magnify a tragedy or loss. We've found that remembering a love one with a special tribute or memorial service often helps families work through difficult times. 

If you have lost a love one please join us for The Community Candle Light Remembrance Service and we'll take a moment to remember and celebrate that life... together.

Our program begins weeks before the night of the actual program. When you pre-register we will ask you to provide us with a picture of your loved one, this picture will be place in a Tribute Video that will be shown before and after the Program. This video will be placed on-line after the program to allow those who are unable to attend to view the video. You will also receive some helpful information in the mail including a book entitled "Thoughts For The Holidays" this booklet is designed to give you advice for coping with the holidays (also please be assured that at no time is your name and address sold nor do we use this information for any type of solicitation). 

On the night of the program we ask families to arrive at least twenty minutes early and check in with our staff at the welcome table. When the program begins you will hear a short welcome and a few words of encouragement for our family. We will then have a time of sharing during which families are encouraged to say good bye to the loved one also because of the wonderful response to this part of the service last year we are giving this part of the service a large amount of the time. 

At the conclusion of the time of sharing we will begin the time of remembrance. We will began to call out the names of the families loved ones and ask them to come forward to light a candle in their memory and to receive a red rose. At the conclusion of this we'll pause for a moment of silence to honor this solemn moment. After which, we all gather in a crowd and at the correct time we join in balloon release together. After we pause for a moment to enjoy the sight the program is dismissed and families are encouraged to return to the candle stand to take home one of the candles to relight and burn at a later date.

This program is something no one will want to miss. Many families tell us it was a very moving experience and they are glad they attended. With over 450 in attendance last year, and with even more to expect this year, we look for this to be our biggest year yet.

New For 2009

We understand that their are

those that will not be be able to attend for various reasons. It is because of this that we will be broadcasting The Community Candle Light Program live as it happens. Those that are not able to attend in person will still be able to register their love one name. During the broadcast they will hear their love ones name call out and witness a candle being lit in their memory.

The pictures shown above and to the right where taken during the program last year.

Our photo board is placed on display to show those pictures that we not able to be show on the tribute video.

Shown above is the huge video screen, this is used to show the tribute video before and after the program. We are making plans to have two screen this year to allow for better viewing of the video.

The balloon release marks the end of the program. Many families look forward to this part of the program. Many say they felt as though they where letting their loved one go for the first time.

Some questions people commonly ask are:

Did the family have to use Watts Funeral Homes to take part in the service? 

Absolutely not, our program is put on by the Watts Family and is sponsored by Watts Funeral Homes; however the family did not have to use Watts Funeral Homes in order to be a part of the program. The program is open to the entire community and is available to anyone who has experienced a loss.

Is their a cost for attending?
No, our program is put on by the Watts Family and is sponsored by Watts Funeral Homes. All costs are paid for by our family and at no time will you be asked to donate any money to the program. 

Will I Need To Bring My Own Candles?

No, The candles, balloons and grief related material are provided at no cost.  

What can I do to help?
Tell as many people you know about the program, we often get new coverage from the local paper, but the best way to promote the program is people like you who tell their friends and family.

What do I have to do to participate in the program?
All you have to do to be a part of the program is to fill out the on-line or call us at 386-328-1414 and let us know who you will be remembering and home many will be in attending with you, also if you have a picture of you loved one we would like to get a copy to display on the night of the program. There will be staff who will be assisting families who have not pre-registered, however if you do not pre-register your loved one’s picture will not be in our tribute video. We also let people know that if they are unable to attend we will still call out the name of their loved one and light a candle in their memory. 

What do you get by offering this program?
The answer is simple we get comfort for helping other people. Our family has experienced several deaths in the past few years and we see how important it is to have a program like this. Our family has been blessed and Putnam County has been good to us. This program is our gift to the community for being so good to our family.  

What if I am not religious?
This program is not designed to be a religious service. We give families the opportunity to tell how special their loved one was and then we join in lighting candles in their memory. This program was created to allow everyone regardless of religious preference to be a part this service.