Month: December 2012

Hospice of the Red River Valley Seeks Volunteers

December 31, 2012

Hospice of the Red River Valley seeks volunteers to provide friendly, companionship visits to the people we serve.

Volunteers with Hospice of the Red River Valley choose how they would like to help provide compassionate end-of-life care to patients and their families, through running errands, doing light housekeeping, fixing meals or providing companionship visits. Other volunteer opportunities include helping out in the office or at Hospice special events.

“Volunteers don’t need a degree or specialized training as health care professionals,” explains Deb Kluck, volunteer manager with Hospice of the Red River Valley. “They don’t even have to have the right words to say. They just need an open heart and the willingness to donate their time.”

If you would like more information about Hospice of the Red River Valley’s volunteer program, including how to apply, visit www.hrrv.org/volunteer or contact the Volunteer Department at 800-237-4629.

Hospice of the Red River Valley Receives $2,120 Gift from Annual Employee Potluck at MnDOT

Sandra Gram wins one of the quilts donated in the annual employee potluck.
Sandra Gram wins one of the quilts donated in the annual employee potluck.

Employees and retirees of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety and Driver & Vehicle Services in Detroit Lakes held their 18th annual holiday potluck and fundraiser for Hospice on December 19, raising $2,120 for Hospice of the Red River Valley.

Each December, the groups transform their lunchroom into a workshop of handcrafted and home-cooked items. Proceeds from the event have raised a total of $19,776 for Hospice of the Red River Valley since the event’s inception in 1995.

Dana Hanson, Trudy Kordosky and Keven Meacham organized the annual event. Current and former employees donated a variety of items for the potluck and drawing, many of them handmade.

Two very special handmade quilts were donated this year in honor of loved ones. Teresa Elkin donated a quilt in memory of her father-in-law, E.E. Elkin, who passed away in 2000, under the care of hospice services in Iowa. Sandra Gram, from MnDOT, was this year’s winner of Teresa’s quilt. Ann Boen made and donated a quilt in honor of Eugene Meyer, Ann’s late father. Doug Bergquist, from the Perham Truck Station at MnDOT, won this quilt.

Hospice of the Red River Valley Announces January Lunch and Learn

December 28, 2012

Hospice of the Red River Valley invites health care professionals to its January Lunch and Learn as we continue to explore various topics related to end-of-life care.

The next Lunch and Learn will take place on Tuesday, January 15, 2013, from noon – 1 p.m. Paulette Arrison, paralegal with Legal Services of North Dakota, and Anne M. Hoefgen, supervising attorney with Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota, will present “Legal Services for Older Adults in Minnesota and North Dakota.” Participants will learn about the various services available to older adults through Legal Services of North Dakota and Northwest Minnesota. Participants will also understand advantages of advanced health care directives and power of attorney.

Hospice of the Red River Valley is an approved provider of continuing education for social workers in North Dakota. This program has been approved for 1 contact hour for social workers.

For your convenience, Lunch and Learns will be held at four Hospice of the Red River Valley locations: Fargo – 1701 38th St. SW, Fargo, N.D.; Lisbon – 415 Main Street, Lisbon, N.D.; Valley City – 1240 W Main Street, Valley City, N.D; or Detroit Lakes – 1102 West River Road, Detroit Lakes, Minn. The Lisbon, Valley City and Detroit Lakes office locations will be connected via video conference to the Fargo office where the live presentation will take place.

Space is limited; pre-registration is required. Contact Missy at melissa.haut@hrrv.org or 701-356-1563 one week prior to the lunch and learn and indicate which location you will be attending. Participants may bring their own lunches; coffee and water will be provided.

Lunch and Learns are free and open to all health care professionals. They will be held on an ongoing basis every other month (January, March, May, July, September and November) on the third Tuesday of the month from noon – 1 p.m. Specific topics and descriptions will be shared closer to each date.