An update to a story we brought you last week: Norfolk County’s first Wind Phone has officially been unveiled in Simcoe.
The phone was unveiled Friday at Colonel Stalker Park, giving residents a new space to remember loved ones who have died and express the thoughts and feelings that can sometimes be difficult to put into words.
A Wind Phone is a telephone placed inside a small booth that allows people to speak privately to someone they have lost.
There is no person on the other end of the line—the phone is simply a way for those experiencing grief to talk, reflect and say the things they may wish they could have said.
The Norfolk County Wind Phone was the result of planning by local resident Kathleen Gilchrist and Norfolk County.
Director of Parks, Recreation, and Culture Brian Geerts spoke at the event.
For Gilchrist, she began pursuing the project after losing her 31-year-old son in 2022 and hoped the Wind Phone could offer comfort to others dealing with loss.
The phone is located between the two baseball diamonds at Colonel Stalker Park in Simcoe.
Gilchrist says the Wind Phone isn’t meant to replace other forms of remembrance or grief support.
Instead, she sees it as another option for people who may find comfort in speaking to a loved one, whether they visit a cemetery, attend church, seek counselling, write in a journal or talk with family and friends.
