Hospice House Gets Closer to Completion

September 12, 2008

Shown here is the installation of the seemingly endless seamless gutter at Hospice House of the Carolina Foothills in Landrum.  Construction is on schedule for the 12-bed inpatient facility, which is open in January 2009 to provide a “home away from home” for terminally ill patients who need specialized hospice care.

 

Hospice House Updates

May 23, 2008

Workers at the Hospice House site in Landrum attend to the details of the chapel. Its round design and other features are intended to embrace all those who rest in this sacred space.

When the Hospice House in Landrum is completed later this year, the chapel will be dedicated to the churches who are building it. And this accomplishment will be due to the efforts of a group of volunteers at Hospice of the Carolina Foothills.

Good Samaritans (church liaisons) in more than 60 churches have led the effort among 66 local congregations who have raised, to date, more than $96,000 of the $125,000 needed to build the chapel in the Hospice House. “The Good Samaritans who are spearheading this campaign are incredibly diligent in their work.” says Director of Development Beth Child. “I am amazed, and Hospice is eternally grateful.” If your church wants to be a part of this exciting local mission, call Diane Nelson, the Good Samaritan coordinator, at 828.894.7000 or 800.617.7132.

 

April 08, 2008

Construction Begins at Hospice House

Harper Corporation General Contractors has been awarded the construction contract for our Hospice House in Landrum. Harper is a full-service general contracting firm that serves healthcare, commercial, retail and institutional clients throughout the southeast from its headquarters in downtown Greenville, SC. Shown on site when construction began in February are, left to right: Daniel Ellison, Site Supervisor for Harper; Alicia Howell Sterritt, Project Coordinator for Hospice; and Will Morrow, Project Manager for Harper. According to Sterritt, "Harper staff and all sub-contractors are professionals who recognize and value the special significance the Hospice House will have for families in this area. We are grateful for the care they put into every day's work." According to Morrow, "Construction is right on schedule so far, and we'll do everything we can to have this building ready for Hospice to open by the end of this year.

 

January 24, 2008

Construction Begins as Community Donations Continue

Here at the beginning of 2008, we are proud to be part of a community effort that has resulted in $4,330,000 donated so far for the 12-bed inpatient facility being built in Landrum. “It is a project,” says board chairman Ron Smith, “that is truly an integral part of our two-state Carolina Foothills community."

Construction has begun at the site, and Hospice House is expected to be completed in late 2008. The cost of the project will exceed $5.5 million, so we are still grateful for additional support. Every gift received will reduce our borrowing costs.

If you would like to make a gift to the Hospice House building fund, you have several options. You can make a one-time donation via check, credit card or securities. You can make a pledge over two years. You can purchase and engrave a brick or paver to honor or memorialize a loved one in the "Path of Remembrance" on the Hospice House site. Or you can choose a combination of these giving options. To read more about how to exercise your choice, click here.

 

October  26, 2007

Hospice House Fund Drive Exceeds Goal!

We are delighted to announce that $3.7 million—$200,000 over goal—has been raised for the 12-bed inpatient facility being built in Landrum. The campaign total reflects gifts from nearly 500 community sources: individuals and businesses; churches; foundations; and HoCF volunteers, board members and staff.  Included is a remarkable $82,000 received in donations and pledges from 47 church congregations to help build the Hospice House Chapel.

Campaign co-chairs Norm and Marion Brannon are thrilled with the fundraising results: “We knew the community would feel as we did—that people deserve to have the most beautiful and comforting surroundings in which to be cared for when the end of life is near. And this incredible House will be a haven for families, a place where they can be family with their loved ones instead of fulltime caregivers, while professional staff and trained volunteers carry out day-to-day caretaking.”

Chairman of the Board Ron Smith adds, “Based on the continuous generosity of this community, the committee has worked with the hopeful anticipation that the necessary funds would be raised to help us build this Hospice House. And we’re especially grateful to our Good Samaritan volunteers who took the initiative on behalf of their churches to build the chapel.”

If you would like to make a gift to the campaign, it is not too late. The $3.7 million raised from the community will not cover the entire cost of building and furnishing the Hospice House, a cost which is expected to be around $5.5 million. Our Board of Directors made the decision early on to borrow whatever funds were needed to complete the project. However, the more gifts received, the less they will have to borrow and the more funds we will have to put toward the home care and bereavement services which people in Polk County and Upstate South Carolina have come to depend on.

 

August 26, 2007

Honor Your Loved Ones on Brick Path at Hospice House

You have the opportunity to honor your loved ones in a special way at the new Hospice House in Landrum. Bricks imprinted with names, dates and special messages commemorating your loved ones will form a "Path of Remembrance" at the Hospice House site.

Click here to participate in this permanent and meaningful path

 

 

 

July 18, 2007

Hospice of the Carolina Foothills Thinking “Green”

Hospice of the Carolina Foothills is thinking “green” as they make plans for the construction of a Hospice House in Landrum.  Green as in the environment.

Site preparation began in May on the 14-acre wooded site on Fairwinds Road that is dedicated for a 12-bedroom inpatient facility for terminally ill individuals who, for some reason, cannot stay in their own homes. Long before site prep began, a great deal of forethought was given to minimizing the number of trees that would be removed. According to Hospice House Project Coordinator Alicia Sterritt, “Our goal was to maintain as natural an environment as possible for patients and families who will use the Hospice House in the future.

”Some trees had to be removed,” explains Project Manager and HoCF board member Joe Phayer, “to make room for the building itself, plus driveway and parking. But we did everything we could to minimize tree removal. Then we sold the trees to a logger, and instead of burning the branches and stumps, we brought in an industrial  chipper to turn them into mulch.” 

Hospice planners will continue to look for building methods and systems that are earth-friendly. For example, Phayer says they are considering a heating system that includes solar panels as a means to heating water. That will be a double-green savings on both the environment and the budget.

 

June 3, 2007

Good News Celebrated at Hospice House Groundbreaking

On Thursday, May 24, nearly 200 people gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony at the Hospice House site in Landrum. Board chairman Ron Smith announced that $3.2 million has been donated by individuals, businesses, churches and foundations to a community capital campaign goal of $3.5 million.

Community donors and supporter and local officials joined Hospice board, staff and volunteers in celebrating this announcement. They cheered the efforts of many in realizing this "dream come true" for the communities in Polk County and Upstate South Carolina who will take advantage of a Hospice House close to home.

The 12-bedroom facility is expected to open in about 15 months and will provide a "home away from home" for terminally ill patients who can no longer stay at home. The Hospice House will provide skilled and loving round-the-clock care in a private, home-like setting. Reimbursement will be provided by Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance for routine services. "Because of the continuous generosity of community members," Executive Director Jean Eckert said, "we will continue our historical practice of providing hospice services regardless of a person's ability to pay."

Patient bedrooms will be private, with outdoor patios and overnight accommodations for a family member. Family room, dining room and a children's playroom will be family-friendly. Visitors, including children and pets, will be welcome at any time. A chapel and gardens will welcome all families and visitors for prayer, meditation and celebrations.

 

March 27, 2007

Hospice House Campaign Goes Public

By the end of summer 2008, families in the Carolina foothills will have access to a new resource close to home to help with terminal illness. An 18,500 square-foot Hospice House will be built on a beautifully wooded 14-acre site on Fairwinds Road in Landrum, just a few miles from Hospice’s Administration & Program center in Columbus.

Since last fall, the volunteer campaign committee, co-chaired by Marion & Norm Brannon, has been receiving gifts for the $3.5 million Hospice intends to raise from the community. As of March 26, 2007, donations and pledges from over 215 individuals and organizations total $2.4 million. Early and generous gifts and pledges are from the Hospice board of directors, staff, and volunteers, as well as community residents, businesses, churches and foundations.

The fundraising campaign now turns its focus to the many interested residents of Polk County and Upstate South Carolina, counting on the area’s continuing and generous support to help reach the goal that will make Hospice House a reality.