2018 Winner
Wise 50 Over 50 Award™

Patti Koeslag – Thresholds of Life

www.thresholds-of-life.com

Stories, writing and gathering people have always been a part of my life, from neighborhood play to giving talks at adult faith development weekends – stories, writing and people have been woven in and out of my most cherished times. When I saw the ad for the Celebrant Foundation and Institute to become a Life-Cycle Celebrant – it just seemed to make sense.

At 56 I studied with them to become a funeral celebrant and later went back and studied to become a wedding celebrant. These opportunities include 100 weddings, 64 Celebrations of Life, 3 Baby Welcoming Ceremonies) and other celebrations of important life events, which allow me to soak up the stories of others, help them to celebrate the person or event through writing of a personalized ceremony and bring people together to honour the occasion.

This has also allowed me to serve my community in ways I would not have imagined including two annual vow renewal ceremonies at a retirement home, a Conscious Aging 8-week workshop for people 60 and older, and facilitating a December memorial for bereaved families to help them through the season of cultural and religious celebrations.