Quilt Raffle and More To Benefit High Country Health Care Hospice

By Allison Canter

High Country Health Care System Hospice and Home Health will begin a quilt raffle on June 8, with tickets available through Aug. 4.

The quilt that is being auctioned was made by Reva Roark Stewart of Creston.

"She is a master quilter, teacher and pattern designer whose work has been widely exhibited and sold internationally," said Candice Cook, marketer for Hospice. "Reva donated the very colorful untitled wall hanging, done in the old fashioned string style of quilting, using newspaper and modern fabric designs."

Stewart was motivated to give back to High Country Hospice for the support that she and her family received from the Hospice team in Ashe County during a difficult time of her life.

The quilt will be on display: June 8 to 20 at McNeill's Department Store in downtown West Jefferson; June 22 to July 3 at Mountain Aire Restaurant, located in West Jefferson; July 4 at Christmas in July at the High Country Hospice Booth; July 6 to 18 at Good Ole Days Ice Cream in downtown West Jefferson; and July 20 to 31 at Shepherds Staff in downtown West Jefferson.

Tickets are $1 each or six for $5, and can be purchased at the High Country Hospice Office, located at 392 Hwy 88 East in Jefferson. Tickets can also be purchased from participating High Country Hospice volunteers. The drawing location will be determined at a later date, but anyone purchasing tickets does not have to be present to win.

The quilt raffle is just one of the fundraisers Hospice has planned. On Friday, June 26, from 7 until 10:30 a.m., the Annual Shatley Springs Hospice Breakfast benefit will be held at Shatley Springs, located on Hwy 16 North in Jefferson. Tickets are $10 each and they will offer an all you can eat family style breakfast with all proceeds going to High Country Hospice patient care. Tickets can be purchased at the event.

In Sparta, Alleghany Cares has chosen High Country Hospice as one of the non-profits that they will hold a benefit for. The benefit will be June 27, and anyone who would like to donate an item for the event can drop it off at Alleghany Cares beginning Monday, June 22. Items should be clearly marked as "Hospice Day" to insure that the items are stored until the Hospice benefit day.

So far this year, Hospice has held a benefit sale in February after the contents of a closing store were donated to Hospice in Boone. Most of the fundraisers, however, take place in the spring, summer and fall.

Cook said that donations have remained about the same despite the economic situation. She said there is usually some growth from year to year. "The need for donations grows as our number of patients grow," she said. "The average cost of a day of Hospice care is $150. No reimbursement is enough to cover the cost of daily hospice care. Not even Medicare, Medicaid and other insurances can cover the entire cost of Hospice care and we want to provide services to all those eligible."

Hospice is currently seeking items for the upcoming Camp Sunshine events. Camp Sunshine is a day camp for children who have lost a loved one. Items needed for the camp include finger paint, boy and girl stickers, yarn, colored sand, thin wooden dowels, modeling clay, play dough, fabric markers and beads.

Camp Sunshine in Alleghany county will be held June 15 to17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day at the Sparta Lions Club. Deadline to register is June 5.

Ashe County's Camp Sunshine will be from June 22 to June 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day at Westwood Elementary. Deadline to register is June 17. Applications can be found on the Hospice website, highcountryhospice.org, or for more information, call (336) 246-6443 in Ashe or (336) 372-8018 in Alleghany.

Hospice is always in need of donations for the patient wish list and the sunshine baskets. Cook said anyone interested in donating items may contact their Hospice office to find out the current needs. Donations needed for the baskets are foot lotion, foot powder, lip balm, vitamin drinks and deodorant.

As far as monetary donations, Cook said Hospice was now able to accept credit card donations on their website.

Aside from donations, Hospice welcomes any and all volunteers. "We are always accepting new volunteers," said Cook. "Volunteers are a vital part of the Hospice program, so much so, that the Medicare/ Hospice benefit mandates that volunteer hours equal five percent of all hours completed by paid staff. Volunteering includes patient care or other ways such as helping with our upcoming events."

To become a volunteer, visit the Hospice website or your local Hospice office or call for more information.