Clark Fork Valley Hospital hosts tree of life ceremony
Cree Lulack, Kaylie Peele and Mrs. Nichols playing music during the Tree of Life ceremony last Wednesday night. (John Dowd/Clark Fork Valley Press)
Dejuan Page, Kim Lester, Tracey Meek, Kathye Ciraolo, Cynthia Holland and Cynthis Coutinho, the nursing and volunteer staff members present at the ceremony last Wednesday night. (John Dowd/Clark Fork Valley Press)
Last Wednesday the staff of the Clark Fork Valley Hospital Hospice Long Term Care Center held their annual Tree of Life Ceremony.
The event has a long-standing importance to the community and the loved ones of those receiving hospice care, according to Dr. Gregory Hanson, Hospital CEO.
“Lots of great lives are represented here, tonight,” Hanson said last Wednesday night during the ceremony.
“We want tonight to be a representation of those who have enriched our lives.”
During the proceedings, community members, volunteers and various other family members and guests selected ornaments, laid out onto the entry way table, and wrote names of people that had passed on that they wanted to be remembered.
After the names were scribed onto the ornaments, participants hung the decorations onto a lattice tree, hanging over a window of the facility, in building 1.
During the remembrance, food was served by the dietary staff, and later 111 names were read aloud, honoring those that had passed on.
According to Cindy Holland, one of the hospice nurses, the day is especially solemn for the staff who
get to know the patients very well during their stay with the long-term care facility.
“I picture them in my memory as a package of golden wrapping paper with a little red bow, and when I remember them, I unwrap the paper, for a moment, and take a look inside.”
She went on to explain how the nurses get to know their patients well and morn with the families.
The event has been held every year since before 1994, at the earliest recollection of the staff.
The ceremony also had out a donation box to benefit the hospice department and other services.
After the night of the tree ceremony, the lattice tree was moved into the main hospital lobby, where many of the staff will add their own ornaments with names onto the tree. It will remain there until after the holidays.
During the ceremony, music was performed by members of Plains High School: Mrs. Nichols, Cree
Lulack and Keylie Peele.
The Clark Fork Valley Hospice Care Center currently provides for 11 patients from throughout Sanders County and employs three hospice nurses and one aide along with several volunteers.