HIA Hospice to host free grief workshop, remembrance service in Fergus Falls

People in Fergus Falls who are carrying a new loss, or trying to help a grieving child, spouse or parent, will have a free place to turn next week at the Fergus Falls Public Library.

HIA Hospice will host a grief education workshop followed by a remembrance service, called Heartstrings, on Thursday, April 16, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. in the Jean Dahling Community Room at 205 E. Hampden Ave. Registration is required, and HIA is asking people to sign up through its Grief Class registration form or to contact bereavement@hiahealth.org or (800) 237-4629 for help.

The session is open to adults, youth and families coping with the death of a loved one, whether or not hospice was involved. HIA says the workshop will cover common grief reactions and healthy coping strategies, then give participants a hands-on chance to make a personalized magnet in memory of someone they miss. After that, the remembrance service will offer quiet time to reflect and honor the deceased.

The timing matters in a county where access to counseling and group support can be limited, especially outside larger metro areas. HIA says its grief program is free and open to the public, and that its specialists provide support groups, one-on-one meetings, presentations, literature and referrals. The organization also says grief support is available not just to hospice families, but to schools, churches and workplaces.

The Fergus Falls event is part of a larger HIA Health network that spans more than 60,000 square miles across North Dakota and Minnesota. HIA Hospice has offices in Fergus Falls, Detroit Lakes, Fargo, Grand Forks, Thief River Falls, Bismarck, Valley City, Jamestown, Devils Lake and Minot, extending the same kind of bereavement outreach across the region.

HIA rebranded from Hospice of the Red River Valley in June 2025 under the HIA Health umbrella, with the name HIA standing for Hearts in Action. The nonprofit says it has served North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota for more than 44 years, a history that helps explain why its grief work has become a steady part of local care rather than a one-time offering.