Photo: (l to r) Jennifer Smith, Paula Dupre, Gail Burckes, Julia Quinlan, Mary Alice Hosking, Lisa O’Hara, Gay VanEtten, Bea Smith, June Roberts and Marie O’Hara were all on hand to present a check for $25,000 to Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice.
At the Holiday Reception held on December 8, at the home of Mary Ellen Quinlan, Lisa O’Hara and several members of the philanthropic group “Friends of Hospice”, presented a check for $25,000 to Julia Quinlan, Director and co-founder of Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice. Since the inception of the group they have donated more than $350,000 to the foundation.
In 1984 Marilyn Thompson, Administrator of the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice approached Julia Quinlan, co-founder of the Hospice to ask if Julia could form a committee to raise funds for the Hospice program. Julia approached women who were active in the community and had shown an interest in the work that the hospice does. They met in the basement of the Alexander Linn Hospital in Franklin and choose to name the group “Friends of Hospice.”
It was suggested to hold a Wine and Cheese afternoon at a local farm to raise funds. Willard and Jeannette Klemm, owners of the Waterwheel Farm in Fredon, were recruited and agreed to hold the event at their farm. The first Wine and Cheese Festival was held in 1984. It was the first of more than thirty festivals, the most recent of which hosted over 550 attendees.
The Wine and Cheese Festival continues to be the signature fundraising event for the “Friends of Hospice.” Other successful events included: a fur and lingerie fashion show brunch, a Harley Davidson raffle, Dental Day for Hospice at Sparta Dental Designs and a High Tea of Hospice.
The Friends of Hospice are also visible at many events held throughout the year such as the Butterfly Release, Memorial Tree Lightings as well as our Paper Shred Event.
The Friends respond to requests made by clinical staff to fulfill the wishes of a patient or to purchase an item that is no covered by Medicare or insurance. All funds raised are used directly or indirectly for patient care. On behalf of our patients, caregivers and the community that have benefited by your labors of love, thank you. Thank you for your hard work, thank you for your dedication, thank you for your caring.
The Friends of Hospice is holding an open enrollment for new members. Anyone in the community is welcome to join. Please call 973-383-0115, ext. 106 for more information or attend a meeting held on the second Monday of each month at 4 p.m. at the Karen Ann Quinlan administrative office located on 99 Sparta Avenue in Newton.
The Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice is a not-for-profit organization which provides a full continuum of high quality medical, emotional and spiritual services to hospice patients, their family members and the community. For more information on our services please call 800-882-1117.