Living Your Dash

Join us for our most popular event of the year!

Presented by Bliley Funeral Homes and Cremation Center

Thursday, April 23, 2026

11:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

$80 per ticket or $150 for two tickets

First forty tickets sold include a complimentary copy of inspirational speaker Marisa Renee Lee’s new book, Waiting for Dawn!

Help us pack the room for our fantastic inspirational speaker, Marisa Renee Lee! The first 40 tickets sold will include a FREE copy of her new book, Waiting for Dawn. We expect these to go fast, so don’t wait! (Qualifying attendees will receive an e-mail with further instructions on how to claim your copy of Marisa’s book after purchasing their tickets.)

All funds raised support Full Circle’s mission to provide bereavement resources for children, adults, and families in Virginia.

Full Circle’s Annual Living Your Dash Luncheon brings attention to a seemingly insignificant mark – the dash. That dash signifies something important — your time here on Earth.

During the luncheon, we share stories and celebrate people who are fully living their dash and turning life’s challenges into something meaningful. We celebrate those who have been moved by their mission or desire to make a difference. We honor resiliency, hope, and growth.

All event proceeds will help fund our grief support groups and educational programs. Our goal is to raise $65,000 to ensure our ongoing support groups continue to be offered free of charge to those grieving in our community.

Our Inspirational Speaker

Marisa Renee Lee

Presented by The Strum Group

Marisa Renee Lee is the award-winning and bestselling author of Grief is Love. For her work on grief and healing, she has been featured on Good Morning America and NPR, in Vogue and The Atlantic, among other outlets. Her new book Waiting For Dawn (forthcoming April 2026) reflects on her experiences with chronic illness and grief, offering solace to folks living with all kinds of uncertainty.

A longtime rabble-rouser of social healing and equity, Lee previously served as a deputy director in the Obama White House and is now CEO of Beacon Advisors, a social-impact consulting firm. She is a graduate of Harvard College and lives with her husband, Matt, and son, Bennett, in New York.

Living Your Dash 2026 Award Winners

Adri Herron, Sanctuary Rescue

Lt. Kenny Mitchell, Operation Yellow Tape

Samuel Veney, Philly Vegan

Kathy Wrenn, Illume Family Recovery

Thank you to our generous sponsors!

Presenting Sponsor