ABOUT SAMLA

Samla

the Swedish word for "Gather"

" At Samla ideas, things, stories, wisdom, knowledge and people are gathered and moments are created.

Samla was born from my 30 plus years of death care experience, 20 years of wedding photography experience, a lifetime of writing, telling, collecting and sharing stories and knowledge and love of the community I grew up in and the strong roots I was born into which carried with it generations of entrepreneurs, thinkers and dreamers."

Caroline Fenelius-Carpenter

Founder, Samla

Experience

Married for 27 years to Brian Carpenter, mother of 3 sons Andrew 20, David 18, and Erik15. Long time resident of Fenelon Falls. Born in Sweden and moved to Canada as a child and raised with her brother. Left Fenelon Court Long Term Care in 2022 after 19 years as a PSW, Recreation Aide, Screener and Swabber. Continued work as a Celebrant and support as an End of Life Doula in the community.

Volunteer Experience

Past: Palliative Care Lindsay, Women’s resources, Fenelon Falls Improvement committees, community clean-up, parent council Langton Public School, Sturgeon Lake Minor Hockey, Fenelon Falls Minor Ball, Creation and implementation of Palliative Care team at Fenelon Court Judging for Speeches Parkview Public School, Photography at the Fenelon Fair

Current: Kawartha Arts Festival, Fenelon Falls Country Living Show, Parent Council Fenelon Falls Secondary School, Fenelon Falls Museum Board member, Patient and Family Advisory Committee Member for OHT-KL

Awards: Nominated for TLDSB Character Award 2018, Winner of 2019 Women’s Resources Extraordinary Communicator

Speaker and Celebrant: Langton Public School Remembrance Day services for 5 years, Me to We “The impact of Words” at the FFSS and the Academy Theatre 2018, Fenelon Falls Legion Branch 238 Veteran’s Dinner 2015 and 2018, Decoration Day Fenelon Falls Cemetery 2022, Butterfly Release Fenelon Falls Museum 2017-2019

Organizer: Annual Grief Walk on the Rail Trail 2018-present, along with other community grief events.

Writer/researcher/photographer Fenelon Falls Then and Now 2000 and 2020

"Caroline worked tirelessly with mom and myself on the Fenelon Falls Then & Now 1st Edition in 2000. In 2020 Caroline, myself and two others managed to get another Fenelon Falls Then & Now 2nd book published. During 2018 Caroline was a very valuable help to me and my mom who was not able to stay on her own. I had a temporary job for three months and I needed someone to come in daily to help. I placed an ad for care for my mom. They spent hours talking, reminiscing and working on family history. It was such a great feeling that I could leave my mom in such good hands. My mom took sick in December 2018 and was in the hospital until she died on January 7, 2019. Caroline was with our family during this difficult time. After my mom died, she did the Celebration of Life for her. Caroline is so conscientious when it comes to her care, before and after their passing. She meets with the family of the deceased. She listens to their stories and then she goes home and creates a beautiful story of their family member. She is so kind, considerate and a lovely human being."

Kathy Arscott