Hospice of Mat-Su 'Lights Up a Life'

Valley Life editor

The holidays are a particularly tough time for those who have lost loved ones during the year, but one local nonprofit group is making sure their memory lives on through the Light Up a Life fund-raiser.

Light Up a Life is the largest fund-raiser for the Hospice of Mat-Su organization, which works with terminally ill patients and their families. Each year, two Christmas trees are set up -- one at the Cottonwood Creek Mall in Wasilla and the other at the Koslosky building in Palmer -- and people can purchase ornaments for $15 and $50, and write the names of their loved ones on them.

The ornaments hang throughout December, and on Dec. 19 (at 2 p.m. at the Palmer Depot), the group hosts the Gathering of Remembrance, at which the names are read during a candlelight ceremony.

"We always encourage the people to come to the Gathering of Remembrance, it's a really nice event," said Pat Karella of Hospice of Mat-Su. "So many times friends and family are afraid to get up and say the name of their loved ones, but a the gathering, they get to hear their loved one's name read proudly."

For the volunteers who work the booths, hearing the stories of others makes the time worth it, they said.

"One of the nicest things about doing it is that everyone is willing to talk about their loved ones they have lost, and you kind of get to know them through their stories," Karella said. "It's also amazing to see how many people come up and look at the names and tell stories about people they knew. This is a small community, and people recognize a lot of the names on the trees."

Last year, the fund-raiser earned Hospice a few coins short of $12,000. Approximately 250 names were on the trees and read at the gathering. All of the money raised stays in the Valley, and directly benefits Hospice programs.

So far this year, Hospice has helped 110 patients and their families. There are currently 26 patients in the program, and the organization has averaged about 22 patients at one time.

Hospice is a largely volunteer-run organization that offers home-based care for people with terminal illnesses. They work to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the patients and their families. As a not-for-profit organization, Hospice relies heavily on donations.

"Our caseload only gets bigger," Karella said. "When people tell us their only regret about working with Hospice, it's usually that they didn't call sooner."

The organization is always in need of volunteers, Karella said. There are numerous programs offered under Hospice, with different requirements for each one. For going inside patient's homes and working with families, an eight-week instruction is required. Other volunteer positions include working with a support group, helping raise money, planning events and even working on the group's newsletter. More than 50 volunteers work for the Light Up a Life fund-raiser, although more are needed -- Sharon Seagondollar said those interested in volunteering can call her at 376-2711.

For more information on the Hospice of Mat-Su programs, or to volunteer for any of them, interested people can call the Hospice office at 352-4800.