Evergreen Accepting Up To Four More Applications
for Facilitator Training

Dover-Foxcroft, Maine --- Evergreen, The Pine Tree Hospice Center for Grieving Children and Their Families is accepting up to four more people for the Facilitator Training being offered later this month.  Volunteer Facilitators help support children, teens, young adults and families who are grieving the death of a family member or friend.  

“It all started with my love of children,” said Martha Flewelling, Evergreen Outreach Coordinator.  “I felt like there was something else I was supposed to be doing.  I heard about Evergreen at the lunch table one afternoon in passing, and immediately knew deep down that I found the ‘thing’ I was supposed to be doing.  I was happy to see that not only was Evergreen going to meet the needs of children and families locally, but that I had an opportunity to engage in the lives of these children and families in a time when only they know what they need.  I felt that by being there, I could open my ears, and in turn my heart, to these grieving faces, and let them know they are not alone.”

Volunteers will complete a 28-hour training covering topics such as reflective listening, grief, participating in a peer support group, being a true helper, boundaries, confidentiality, child development, age appropriate activities, stress management, healing the feeling child, safe and fun ways to physically express emotions, special issues of suicide survivors, spirituality, rituals and goodbyes.  There is no charge to take the training and no charge to families to attend the peer support groups.  The training will be held at Mayo Regional Hospital over four evenings (June 18, 20, 26, and 27) and two Saturdays (June 21 and 28).  Trained Volunteer Facilitators will meet with children and their families one evening a week and are asked to make a one-year commitment to the program.

If you would like to help area children and families during grief and loss, please call Pine Tree Hospice (564-4346) to register today.  Applications for the June training will be accepted through Monday, June 9^th.  The next Evergreen training will be held in the fall.

June 2008
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Golf Tournament to Benefit Pine Tree Hospice

 A benefit golf scramble to support the work of Pine Tree Hospice will be held on Saturday, June 7 at Dexter Municipal Golf Course.  The $30 registration fee includes greens fees for this 18 hole scramble with lunch and refreshments included. Golf carts are available to rent. Prizes will be awarded in various categories, including closest to the cup and longest drive.  Individuals or teams should call Dexter Municipal Golf Club at 924- 6477 to sign up and reserve tee times.  The funds raised in the benefit will be dedicated to support the volunteer work of Pine Tree Hospice throughout the 28 towns served in Piscataquis, Penobscot and Somerset Counties.

Pine Tree Hospice provides information and support allowing clients and their families to experience the final phase of life the way they wish, and to address bereavement needs of hospice families and the community.  Caring end of life services provided by PTH includes companionship, respite care, transportation, food preparation, coordination of social services, spiritual, emotional and bereavement support.  More than 70 volunteers provide these services to clients, caretakers, and loved ones of all ages.  The majority of Pine Tree Hospice services are provided in the home, but may also be provided in the hospital or other care facility.  Pine Tree Hospice also provides one-on-one bereavement support, a monthly Drop-In Bereavement Group for adults, full scholarships to Camp Ray of Hope for grieving children and families, community education programs, and recently has added Evergreen, the Pine Tree Hospice Center for Grieving Children and their Families.   This new program is designed to support the needs of children who have experienced a loss of a family member, friend, or loved one through a Peer Support model. For more information, call Pine Tree Hospice at 564-4346, e-mail PTH at wecare@pinetreehospice.org or drop by the PTH office located on the campus of Mayo Regional Hospital.

May 2008
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Honor and Caring for Veterans at the End of Life

Pine Tree Hospice and the American Legion Post in Dover-Foxcroft are collaborating on an educational program, “Wounded Warriors and What They Can Teach Us,” being held on Friday evening, June 6, 2008 at the American Legion Chadbourne-Merrill Post #29 on Park Street in Dover-Foxcroft. This powerful and meaningful presentation is open to the public and will provide information on the psychological impact of war on veterans and valuable end-of-life material directed to Veterans, their families and their caregivers (personal and professional).

More than 600,000 veterans die each year. In 2001, 25% of Americans who died were veterans. However, most veterans do not die in a Veterans' Affairs medical center. Therefore, it is important for healthcare providers in all settings to be familiar with the often unique needs of the veteran population, especially with regard to chronic terminal illness at the end of life.  The program will focus on several ways the caregivers can provide this special care making the end of life process a time of healing for a wounded spirit.

Guest speakers include Dr. Patrick Daly, Palliative Care Director at the Veterans Administration, and Kandyce Powell, Executive Director of the Maine Hospice Council and Chair of the National Hospice/Veterans Advisory Committee, who will discuss the (first in the nation) Hospice/Veterans Partnership, status of Veterans, hospice care in Maine and local community referrals and services for Veterans.  Representative Pete Johnson from the Cecil R. Cole Post # 94 in Greenville and Pine Tree Hospice Board President, Sue Mackey Andrews, will also address the group.  Marcia Walden, a Home Health and Hospice Nurse at Community Health and Counseling Services will review hospice services provided locally.  Amy Madigan-Dube, Coordinator of Volunteers and Client Services, will review the variety of volunteer opportunities available at Pine Tree Hospice.

Doors will open for social time at 4:30 p.m., followed by a potluck dinner at 5:00 p.m.  The program portion of the evening will take place from 5:45 – 8:45 p.m.  For additional information about the program, please call Ed Conroy, American Legion Post #29 Commander at 564-3265 or Cynthia Scott, Executive Director of Pine Tree Hospice at 564-4359.

May 2008
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2008 Pine Tree Hospice Variety Show Show
Pictured L-R: Cynthia Scott, PTH Director, Jean Hitchcock, Quilt Winner
and Priscilla Higgins, PTH Volunteer

The 14^th Annual Pine Tree Hospice Variety Show on April 25^th was one of the best shows ever!  Once again, Dr. David Frasz served as the Master of Ceremonies and Rhonda Kirkpatrick did a great job as Theatre Director.  The students of The Learning Tree are always a big hit with their dance and the Parade of Sponsors.  Entertainers included the Heartwise Dancers, JamBuie Drummers, two one-act plays, “Tradition” sung by the Slightly Off Center Players and two songs by Sugar Snap.  Tom Lyford told a cautionary tale, while Pine Tree Hospice Volunteer, Karen Dow, performed a liturgical dance and signed to the song, “I Can Only Imagine.”  There was even a surprise visit from Elvis!

There was strong support from volunteers, major contributors, performers, behind the scenes staff and committee members.  The 2008 list of sustainers, sponsors and contributors included the following:  Hardwood Products Company, Puritan Medical Products Company, Lary Funeral Home, Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital, Community Health and Counseling Services, Crosby & Neal Funeral Homes, Dexter Family Practice & Urgent Care, Fernow Medical Associates, Hibbard Nursing Home, Ralph & Kay Johnson, Lumbra Hardwoods, Maine Highlands Federal Credit Union, Rowell’s Garage, Solutions Consulting Group, Steinke & Caruso Dental Care, Bangor Savings Bank, Edwards Family Shop ‘N Save, Foxcroft Veterinary Service, Good News Dog Obedience, Pleasant River Partners and the Vegetarian Resource Group.

Jean Hitchcock of Dover-Foxcroft was the lucky raffle winner of a beautiful quilt, created by Memory Makers members, Rita Mountain and Helen Higgins and donated to Pine Tree Hospice for the annual quilt raffle.

Pine Tree Hospice serves the Penquis region and the funds raised will support the services provided to individuals and families in our area.  If you are interested in learning more about Pine Tree Hospice or the many volunteer opportunities available, please call 564-4346.

May 2008
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Big Gifts for Small Groups Conference

Pine Tree Hospice invites area non-profits to a put the fun into fundraising at the Big Gifts for Small Groups Conference on Thursday, June 5^th from 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Penquis Higher Education Center in Dover-Foxcroft. Conference topics include: Where's the Money? Facts and Misconceptions about Giving, Lots of Options: The Value of Funding Diversity, Why People Give, Identifying Prospects in Rural Areas, “The Ask” - Major Gifts Fundraising, Alternative Strategies: House Parties and Big Gifts by Mail, and How Can We Do This Together? Ideas for Collaborative Fundraising.

PTH is reaching out to fellow service organizations to help all in strengthening fundraising efforts. As we are all aware the impact of the budget reductions at the national level and in Maine coupled with increasing demand for services, particularly in Piscataquis County, means that service organizations will have to find new funding sources to sustain and meet the needs of our citizens.  As non-profits serving the same communities, we are all scrambling to do more with less.  Participants at this conference will have the opportunity to learn about FunDevelopment, and also have a chance for networking and community organizing.  It is our hope that this conference will promote collaboration across multiple organizations and ensure that we are all using our individual and collective resources to achieve maximum results.  The Big Gifts for Small Groups Conference will be an invigorating opportunity to think "outside the box," creatively and collectively - about new ways to garner community resources individually and together. 

Andy Robinson, the conference presenter, has nearly thirty years of experience working with a variety of non-profits as a fundraiser, publicist, grant writer and community organizer.  In 1995, he started his consulting practice and has provided support and training to thousands of non-profit staff and volunteers in forty-five states and Canada.  Andy is the author of several books and a columnist for Contributions Magazine and a regular contributor to Grassroots Fundraising Journal.  His two most recent books are Big Gifts for Small Groups and Great Boards for Small Groups.

Admission to the conference is by donation, pre-registration by May 22^nd is recommended.  The registration form is on page 2 of the brochure, which can be printed from this website.  For for more information, call Pine Tree Hospice at 564-4346 or send an e-mail to wecare@pinetreehospice.org.

The conference is sponsored in part by the following organizations: Blair Hill Inn, Charlotte White Center, Foxcroft Academy, Friends of Community Fitness, Mayo Regional Hospital, Penquis Higher Education Center, Pine Tree Hospice, Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce, Piscataquis County Committee of the Maine Community Foundation, Piscataquis TRIAD, Solutions Consulting Group, and Womancare. 

May 2008
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Volunteers Complete Evergreen Training

Back L-R: Denise Molinaro, Cynthia Scott, Pam Tower, Will Carter
Front L-R: Erin Callaway, Terry Bourassa, Linda Kelly

On April 5^th, four people completed the first training offered to become Volunteer Facilitators for Evergreen, The Pine Tree Hospice Center for Grieving Children and Their Families.  New volunteers are Will Carter of Newport, Denise Molinaro of Dover-Foxcroft, Cynthia Scott of Guilford and Pam Tower of Harmony.  Trainers for this first class were Terry Bourassa of Glenburn, Erin Callaway of Dover-Foxcroft and Linda Kelly from the Center for Grieving Children in Portland.  This new Evergreen program has been created to expand upon bereavement services currently being offered by Pine Tree Hospice.

“I had planned to take the training so I would be available to Evergreen as an alternate,” says Cynthia Scott.  But now that I have completed the training, it was such a rich experience, I look forward to being a regular Volunteer Facilitator meeting weekly with families.”  The 28-hour training covered topics such as reflective listening, grief, participating in a peer support group, being a true helper, boundaries, confidentiality, child development, age appropriate activities, stress management, healing the feeling child, safe and fun ways to physically express emotions, special issues of suicide survivors, spirituality, rituals and goodbyes.   There is no charge to take the training and no charge to families to attend the peer support groups. 

Training is being offered again in June for those interested in supporting children, teens, young adults and families who are grieving the death of a parent, sibling, relative or friend.  Trainees must attend all six sessions being held at Mayo Regional Hospital over four evenings (June 19, 20, 26 and 27) and two Saturdays (June 21 and 28).  Trained Volunteer Facilitators will meet with children and their families on Wednesday evenings in Dover-Foxcroft and are asked to make a one-year commitment to Evergreen.  A Clinical Consultant is also being sought for the program.  The role of the Clinical Consultant is to provide support to the Volunteer Facilitators every other week for one hour. 

If you would like more information about becoming a Volunteer Facilitator or serving as a Clinical Consultant, call Pine Tree Hospice PTH at 564-4346 or send an e-mail to wecare@pinetreehospice.org.  Applications to take the training are available on PTH’s website.  The cut-off date for the June training is May 15^th.

April 2008
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Volunteers Complete Hospice Training

Nine people completed twenty hours of training to become Pine Tree Hospice volunteers on March 22nd. New volunteers are Michael Chavaree and Laurie Sokoloski of Corinna, Nancy Davis of Blanchard Township, Karen Dow of Corinth, Beverly Crockett of Harmony, Cinda Fairfield of Guilford, Pattisue Huston of Plymouth, Sherri Jackins of Dover-Foxcroft and Terri Zelkan of Milo.

“We’re delighted with this spring class of 2008,” Amy Madigan-Dube, Coordinator of Volunteers and Client Services, said. “People take the hospice training for many different reasons. Some want to become educated about end of life issues for their own information or to be available to help friends and family members when the time comes. Others are dedicated to the ideals of hospice and wish to help families in our area who are dealing with life-limiting illnesses.”

During training, volunteers learned about chronic illness; communication skills; ethics; family dynamics; funeral arrangements; hospice philosophy and resources; grief, loss and transition for children and adults; pain and symptom management; personal death awareness; psychological perspectives on death and dying; spirituality; stress management; support during stages of dying; and volunteer roles.

Pine Tree Hospice has volunteers who are nurses, teachers, pastors, counselors, homemakers, physicians, physical therapists, professors, and writers. Some volunteers are retired while others work. However, everyone shares a passion to be present for those who are facing a life-limiting illness and want to live fully until they die. The majority of volunteers work directly with hospice patients and their families visiting clients in the homes and providing respite for primary care-givers. Others serve hospice clients by doing behind the scenes tasks such as clerical jobs, public relations work and fund-raising activities. Hospice volunteers may do light chores around the house, prepare meals or snacks and spend time listening. “Our volunteers give so generously of their time and their love,” Cynthia Scott, Executive Director, said.

For more information about becoming a hospice volunteer or to add your name to the list for the next training session, call PTH at 564-4346 or send an e-mail to wecare@pinetreehospice.org. Applications to take the training are available on PTH’s website.

April 2008
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