Kellie Hitchman

Coakley’s to Support Hospice Through Special Promotion

For nearly 20 years Coakley Home & Hardware of Canton has been a loyal support of Hospice in a variety of ways, most frequently by offering special promotions giving their customers an opportunity to support Hospice, just by shopping! This year, they are teaming up with Bonide, a New York based lawn and garden company to once again provide important support to Hospice. Throughout the weekend of May 17^th and 18^th, Coakley’s will donate 50% of all Bonide purchases to Hospice in support of the important care they provide to our community members.

In addition to donating a percentage of purchases throughout the weekend, Hospice staff and volunteers will be on hand at Coakley’s during the lunch hour on May 17^th grilling hot dogs and greeting customers. Donations for hot dogs will also be donated to Hospice. Stop in to Coakley’s located at 2535 SH 68 in Canton for all your Bonide lawn and garden products and support a great cause May 17^th and 18^th!

We are deeply grateful to Coakley’s for the many years of support they have offered Hospice and the community!

New: Monthly Lunch and Learns at Hospice

Lunch is on us!

With a new year upon us, Hospice has organized a series of free monthly lunch and learns to give community members an opportunity to participate in education and meaningful conversation on a variety of topics. Join us on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 11:30am-1:00pm at the Hospice Center!

Upcoming Sessions Include:

February 21st – Coffin Club: Lunch and Conversation with a Funeral Director

We all have them – ordinary and not so ordinary questions about funerals, cremation vs. burial and many other curiosities that are so difficult to ask. This is your chance! The first Coffin Club was held this fall and was incredibly successful, we wanted to give community members another opportunity to get their questions answered.

March 21st – The Art of Condolence presented by David Hornung

Following the death of his wife, David learned just how difficult it was for some people to effectively express their condolences. This workshop will present ideas for the right things to say (or not say) when you want to be supportive of someone experiencing grief.

Lunch will be provided at each workshop. These are free workshops open to anyone.

For more information or to register please contact Samantha Jones at 315-265-3105 or samj@hospiceslv.org.

We hope to see you there!

Hospice Memory Trees

2017 Hospice Memory Trees

Each year, Hospice offers a special opportunity for community members to honor their loved ones while supporting the work we do. Throughout the holiday season, the Hospice Memory Trees will be on display at our office building. Hundreds of names will be listed on stars that lovingly blanket the Trees. We invite you to be a part of this thoughtful remembrance by sending the names of your loved ones and a small donation to support Hospice services in St. Lawrence County.

Those wishing to view the Memory Trees are invited to the Hospice Center Monday through Friday from 8am until 4:30pm. To purchase your star online, please click here or for more information on purchasing a star in memory of your loved one please contact Kellie Hitchman or Samantha Jones at 315-265-3105.

2017 Hospice Memory Tree Order Form

Caring for the Caregiver Event

Hospice of St. Lawrence Valley is once again presenting the Caring for the Caregiver Health Fair to the community. The 4th annual resource event for those providing care for a friend or loved one is scheduled for Thursday, June 8^th from 11:00-3:00pm at the Hospice Center in Potsdam. The theme this year is Mapping the Caregiver Highway with many resources to assist caregivers along their journey. “This event has been very well received and has grown significantly over the last three years, in terms of both vendors providing information and with more caregivers and community members attending” said Mary Jones, Director of Family Support Services for Hospice. “For some time now, we have recognized the need to provide additional support to caregivers, not just of our Hospice patients, but anyone in the community who has taken on this important role” she continued. Following the initial event in 2014, a need to help educate caregivers and provide them with support was identified. Hospice offered a series of three educational sessions which covered a variety of topics. Group attendance and interest demonstrated the need to continue with monthly meetings. “We saw regular attendance from community members who needed resources and education, but most of all support” said group facilitator Nancy Vosbrink who is the Outreach Coordinator for Hospice. “Its important they know others are experiencing similar situations. They offer unique perspectives to one another.” “Many times caregivers don’t see simple acts such as providing transportation to appointments, helping to manage medications, meal preparation or checking in on a friend, neighbor or loved one as caregiving” said Ms. Jones. “The reality is, they are taking time out of their own life to make sure their loved one is safe; that’s caregiving. We know this is an extremely important role, but understand it can cause difficulty in other aspects of life for the caregiver. They are not alone in providing care, there are countless resources throughout St. Lawrence County ready to help” she continued. There are more than 20 vendors lined up to participate in the 2017 event and will include additional vendors to address an added caregiver wellness component. In addition, free health screenings will be provided by local hospitals. Door prizes will be raffled. The Caregiver Support Group meets the second Thursday of the month from 3:00pm to 4:00pm at the Hospice Center in Potsdam. Group attendance is free of charge and all caregivers are welcome, a Hospice affiliation is not required. For more information about the Caring for the Caregiver Health Fair or the Caregiver Support Group please contact Nancy Vosbrink at 315-265-3105.