HERMISTON, Ore.-The 37th Annual Light Up A Life Fundraiser in support of Vange John Memorial Hospice recently concluded with an ornament pickup and the reading of names honored over the radio.
“It was a really successful year,” said Carollyn Robinson, with Vange John Memorial Hospice, who reported that about 80 ornaments were purchased. “Light Up A Life has become a tradition for many in the community.”
For a suggested $25 donation, community members purchased handmade commemorative ornaments in honor of loved ones they wished to remember, or for someone they admired, that were displayed on a memorial Christmas tree in the main lobby of Good Shepherd throughout the Holiday season.
During a ceremony on January 8, those who purchased ornaments picked them up and shared stories or memories of who they honored, while enjoying coffee, cocoa and music from Desert Air Dulcimer, of which Robinson is a member.
“I used to know Vange John, I appreciated her a lot,” said Ron Ingle, a longtime Hermiston resident, substitute teacher and author, who purchased an ornament in memory of his mother. “I’ve been donating for a lot of years, but I’ve never been to this before, I just came to see what it’s all about.”
For others in attendance, purchasing an ornament was a way to remember a loved one and give back to hospice.
“I got an ornament for my son who passed away at age 4,” said Linda Van De Brake. “I’ve done it ever since that first year, and he would have turned 30 this year.”
Van De Brake also remembers the names of friends, family members and loved ones who pass away throughout the year and gets ornaments in their honor as well.
“We’ve utilized hospice a couple of times and it’s incredible,” said Tara Harman and Bo Ostrander, who got ornaments in honor of Tara’s grandparents, Merlin and Donna. “We just lost my grandma in November, and my grandpa about three years prior. They lived in Hermiston for 48 years and were very linked to the community.”
Patti Wagner, a hospice volunteer who helped make the butterfly ornaments, also donated in remembrance of family members she has lost.
“My daughter and husband are both up there,” said Wagner. “Bill passed away before we moved here, so I got an ornament in remembrance because hospice was so good to him, and my daughter was a faithful volunteer at the hospice before passing away too soon at 48.”
The handcrafted butterfly ornaments were new this year and were something Robinson came across when looking for ornament ideas for this year’s fundraiser.
“The hospice always does a butterfly release later in the year, and I thought these would be perfect ornaments,” Robinson said of the fabric ornaments.
Good Shepherd volunteers spent about 45 minutes to an hour laying out pieces of fabric, cutting and sewing each butterfly, before adding every name and placing it on the tree, with names continuing to come in throughout the Holiday season, according to Robinson.
“There’s a lot of history here,” said Pam Martin, of Hermiston as she held up the ornaments she purchased in honor of her mother and a few other friends and family members. “Every name on that tree has real special meaning.”
The names of every person honored throughout the Light Up A Life fundraiser were also read over the air on KOHU 1360 AM on January 11 at 6 p.m.
More information about Vange John Memorial Hospice and its services is available online or by calling 541.667.3543. To become a Good Shepherd volunteer, visit https://www.gshealth.org/volunteer.
