Hospice of Mat-Su is helping people Light Up a Life this holiday season

Beginning this week, many families will set up their Christmas trees and recall fond memories of Christmas past. Two Valley trees will also conjure up special memories -- and help raise money for an organization that helps others in the toughest moments in life.

Hospice of Mat-Su is once again hosting the Light Up a Life fund-raiser, which consists of two large Christmas trees -- one in the Cottonwood Creek Mall and one at the Koslosky Center in Palmer -- where people can hang ornaments with the names of loved ones who have passed away.

The $15 donation for each star ornament helps Hospice of Mat-Su provide its services. There are also angel ornaments available for $50. The ornaments were cut by Brownies from Colleen Hermon's Troop 75.

Light Up a Life is the largest fund-raiser for Hospice of Mat-Su. It coincides with the season in which loss is magnified.

"Certainly, coping is most difficult around the holidays," said Pat Karella, the bereavement coordinator for Hospice of Mat-Su and an organizer of the event. "Our grief support group [which meets Thursday nights] just had a special program about coping during the holidays."

Every name on both trees will be read during a special Gathering of Remembrance, held at the Palmer Depot at 2 p.m. on Dec. 21. Names of all Hospice of Mat-Su patients are automatically placed on the tree and read at the Gathering of Remembrance.

"Hospice can't do it alone," Karella said. "We put the names up there as a thank you to the friends and family of the patients. In the last months, they are always there and this is how we try to thank them."

This year, Hospice of Mat-Su had more than 100 patients -- people who are battling a life-threatening illness. That is up from just over 70 patients from a year ago.

"The number of patients is going up, and our need keeps increasing, too," Karella said. "Usually, we have between 12 and 24 patients at a time. Sometimes we are with patients for only a few hours, and sometimes we are with them for a year. Each case is different."

Last year, the event raised more than $12,000. Last week, the organization hosted an arts and crafts sale at Valley Hospital. Jim and Linda Turnbull provided the art, and the event raised $6,000 for Hospice of Mat-Su.

All of the money raised through the Light Up a Life event stays in the Valley and goes directly to Hospice of Mat-Su, volunteer Helen Munoz said. Munoz started volunteering with Hospice two years ago, even though she had no prior contact with the group. She said during the Light Up a Life drive, many people who have lost loved ones simply stop by the table to talk.

"I'm amazed how many people just stop and want to talk about their loved ones," Munoz said.

Karella said that's natural -- and encouraged.

"Talking is a big part of healing," she said.

If people would like to volunteer with the Light Up a Life program, they can call Sharon Seagondollar at 376-2711 or Munoz at 745-6340.

The Hospice of Mat-Su program can always use volunteers, Karella said. Volunteers must go through an extensive training program, of which the next one begins in February.

People can call the Hospice of Mat-Su office at 352-4800 for more information on how to become a volunteer.