Hospice is hosting drive-in Holiday Memorial event

Grieving the loss of a loved one is always painful – but for those who have been bereaved this year, with months of social isolation and restrictions on gatherings, navigating grief may feel especially tough. Hospice of Ohio County wants to help by providing a bit of hope for the holiday season.

Hospice is holding its annual memorial event in a novel way on Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. at Beaver Dam City Park’s north pavilion by the pond. The event is open to anyone in the community and those who wish to attend can drive in and participate from the safety and warmth of their vehicle. A short tree lighting ceremony will be held, and families may personalize an ornament for the tree. Take-home refreshments will be provided.

“It’s impossible to hold our regular ‘Hope for the Holidays’ dinner this year, but we still wish to remember and honor our hospice patients, as well as others who are mourned in the community,” said Laurie Shaffer, manager of Hospice Services for Ohio County Healthcare. “Our memory tree at the park will be lit up through the month of December and anyone can visit. A supply of ornaments will remain at the tree for visitors to personalize and hang – we hope in some way it will provide hope and comfort to grieving people”.

Shaffer said that Hospice of Ohio County has cared for 88 patients in 2020, some of them for just days, others for several months.

“Our patients and their families are so precious to us”, says Shaffer, “hospice staff members will hang a bell on the memory tree for each person we have been blessed to serve this year”.

Hospice of Ohio County, a division of Ohio County Healthcare, was organized in 1989 and has cared for over 1,900 patients, regardless of their ability to pay.

Hospice also works to provide bereavement support to patient families and others and hosts monthly grief support meetings. These meetings, as well as “Hope for the Holidays 2020” and the memory tree, are open to the community. To sign up or questions regarding the memorial event, or to receive more information about grief support service, please call Hospice of Ohio County at 270-298-9507.