BATTLE MOUNTAIN - Lander County Hospice is selling squares for a memory quilt to memorialize those who have passed on. The project is just one in its continued efforts to raise $90,000 to $100,000 to renovate the old Kid's Closet building at 326 W. Front St. for its office and gift and community shop.
Hospice provides services to people who are terminally ill or who are coping with loved ones who are dying.
The quilt squares are currently on sale for $10 for a six-inch or nine-inch square with a hand-written name, $15 to add a photo to the six-inch square and $20 for a nine-inch square with a photo and can be purchased by calling hospice Director Crystal Bard at (775) 304-6311.
Around six squares have been sold so far. People can choose the color and patterns of their squares or can submit their own material.
Jill Chambliss will be making the quilt. As soon as a few more squares are sold she will begin putting it together, said Bard. Hospice is hoping to sell around 200 squares or enough to make a huge quilt to be displayed inside the gift shop.
"I think the memory quilt project is a great way to show Grandma Bev's (Huntington) love for quilting and to get the community involved and show appreciation for loved ones who have passed and they will still live on," Bard said.
Huntington is the former hospice director who died June 24, 2012.
Hospice board members and Bard came up with the quilt idea during a board meeting. There are five board members.
The quilt material was donated by Chambliss and also came from a stash that Huntington had, Bard said. Those who would like to donate material can call Bard.
The funds that are raised through the memory quilt project will go toward renovating the 3,250-square-foot building for things such as plumbing, electricity, a new roof, monthly bills and a new wall, Bard said. She added that hospice is hoping to open the building as soon as the funds are raised and it is renovated.
To raise funds, hospice had booths at several holiday craft fairs and sold wood and bird houses. Bard is planning a community meet and greet, possibly for February, to inform the community about hospice and to try and recruit new volunteers. Hospice may be holding a pet parade in April or May, Bard said. Anyone who would like to contribute funds can contact Bard.
Hospice currently has one client and two volunteers. Anyone who would like to volunteer is asked to call Bard.
Hospice volunteers undergo rigorous training in dealing with those who are dying or have loved ones who are dying. The training is conducted through the hospices in Reno, Elko and Sacramento.
Volunteers perform all sorts of services from running errands for the patients and families to keeping a patient company to give the families and caregivers a break. It utilizes local volunteers to do such projects as building wheel chair ramps.
All of the clients must come through doctors' referrals. Doctors often call the hospice on the behalf of the patients. Patients and their families can call Bard as well and Bard will verify the referrals with the patient's doctor.
Hospice has been providing services to Lander County residents for more than 12 years. In 2010 it helped three patients, their families and caregivers. Sometimes the organization has no clients and other times it gets a whole bunch all at once, Bard said.
The organization lends out beds, portable commodes, walkers, wheel chairs, crutches, grieving books and even grieving bears, which are teddy bears for children that play recordings of grieving songs.
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