Living Awake
An evening of story, film, and remembrance, celebrating the release of the book, “Live and Die Awake” by Julie Wright Halbert.
When
5:00 to 9:00PM
Where
3650 17th Street
Sarasota, Florida
Admission
Benefiting
Story, film, and remembrance.
One
Story
The evening celebrates the release of the book, “Live and Die Awake: On Love, Loss, and Living Fully.”
Two
Film
There will be a screening of the documentary, “A Butterfly Has Been Released,” and a conversation with Co-Producer Barry Koch.
About the screeningThree
Remembrance
Sponsors have the opportunity to co-create their own remembrance table in memory of one person or several, using photographs, keepsakes, written memories, and other personal touches.
About the tables
A Butterfly Has Been Released
- Runtime
- 36 minutes
- Made by
- Jason Zamer and Barry Koch, TGBeyond
Join hospice nurse Allyson's 39-day journey, living and dying with brain cancer. With unfiltered honesty, authenticity, and humor, Allyson invites her community to celebrate with a living funeral, which she hosts at home, and after her death, at a natural, green burial.
After the screening, a conversation with Barry Koch, its co-producer, in person.
If you cannot be there, Rent it from the Hospice Foundation of America. $4.99, 72 hour access.
“Some moments crack the heart wide open and then, quietly, teach us how to live.”
Julie's husband Jim died within three weeks of a sudden diagnosis.
The book comes out on November 4, 2026, the birthday of Cynthia, Julie's mother and the grandmother of her sons.
Somewhere for a grieving child to go.
All event donations go to the Living and Dying Awake Compassion Fund of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, benefiting Empath Blue Butterfly Children's Grief Care. The program is complimentary. The proceeds from the evening will go toward the expansion of Blue Butterfly within Sarasota and new locations such as Tampa and across Florida, where children's grief support is deeply needed.
The fund is held at the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. 100% of donations support the fund.
Three ways to be a part of it.
Come
We would love to have you in attendance. Please register so we know to expect you. If you are a sponsor, be sure to register your guests.
No ticket, no charge, registration required
Save your placeSponsor a Memory Table
A table for ten guests, set in memory of one person or several, and co-created by you.
One thousand dollars, and there are twenty
How a table worksGive to the fund
A gift to the Living and Dying Awake Compassion Fund, whatever the size, whether or not you can be there.
Any amount
Give to the Compassion Fund
Gifts are held by the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, not by this site. Give to the Compassion Fund at gulfcoastcf.org (opens in a new tab)
Living Awake
Sunday, November 1, 2026, Harvest House, 3650 17th Street, Sarasota