Hospice of the Red River Valley is offering the following grief and loss programs this fall. Registration is required and space is limited.

Beyond Widowhood will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Mondays from September 17 – November 5. This eight-session class for men and women will address the more practical aspects of widowhood. It is not intended for those widowed less than one year. Discussion topics include maintaining emotional and physical health, re-examination of values, decision-making, home maintenance, making connections, dating and financial planning. The registration deadline is September 12, and the registration fee is $40.

Journeying Through Grief will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. on Thursdays from October 11-November 1. This is a four-session workshop for recently bereaved adults to help them understand their grief, explore methods of self-care and to embrace memories. The registration deadline is Friday, October 5, and the registration fee is $20.

Youth Journeys will be held Saturday, November 3 from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. This program is for young people, ages 6-18, who have lost a loved one through death. A portion of the day will include parent/guardian participation. Registration is required by October 29.

All classes will be held at Hospice of the Red River Valley, 1701 38th St. S, Fargo, N.D. For more information or to register, contact the Journeys Department at (701) 356-1500, or visit our website www.hrrv.org.

Hospice of the Red River Valley seeks individuals to join its volunteer team, specifically as companionship volunteers. Join us at an informational session to learn more about volunteer opportunities. The information sessions are free, open to the public and without obligation.

Volunteer information sessions will be held on Tuesday, August 28 at Noon and Thursday, September 6 at 5:30 p.m., both at Hospice of the Red River Valley, 1701 38th St. S. Ste. 101, Fargo. Individuals need only attend one session.

Hospice provides a flexible volunteer schedule. For more information, please contact Deb Kluck, volunteer services manager, at 701-356-1514 or dkluck@hrrv.org.

The Lisbon Bissell Golf Club invites you to participate in a charity golf tournament benefitting Hospice of the Red River Valley.

The four-person scramble will take place on Saturday, August 18. Registration will begin at 11 a.m. with a shotgun start at noon. Cost to play is $45 per person, which includes the green fee and a meal following the scramble. Golf teams are limited and pre-registration is encouraged.

For more information about the charity golf tournament, or to register, contact Sam at the Lisbon Bissell Golf Club at 701-683-4510.

Dear Editor,

As employees of Hospice of the Red River Valley, we were privileged to be part of a hospice advocacy campaign that took place in Washington, D.C. on June 18 – 19, 2012. As part of this campaign, hospice representatives from around the country joined to discuss and advocate for the hospice benefit and changes in regulations that could negatively impact the delivery of hospice care, an undeniably important benefit that terminally ill people are entitled to. Specifically, we urged our Congressmen to support the Hospice Evaluation and Legitimate Payment (HELP) Act.

The hospice community faces unprecedented reimbursement and regulatory challenges. Hospice programs around the nation are preparing for the devastating impact of multiple Medicare rate cuts, and working around the clock to comply with new regulations that are not currently in line with the operational realities of patient care. As of now, rural North Dakota already receives the lowest reimbursement rate in the country for hospice services. Certainly, changes in health care are necessary, but unreasonable, unfunded mandates and disproportionate rate cuts will bring us to our knees.

While hospice care is often misunderstood, the value of hospice-both in terms of quality of end-of-life care for patients and their families, and savings to Medicare-is undeniable. Passage of the HELP Hospice Act would ensure that future changes to payment methodology and patient care are consistent with the operational realities of the hospice community, especially rural programs. This is instrumental in preserving access to hospice for future generations.

As residents of North Dakota, we met with our members of Congress and/or their staff. It was both an honor and a humbling experience to have the opportunity to sit with our delegates on Capitol Hill and have a chance to discuss with them why we not only strongly believe in our work, but also hear how they have seen hospice in action.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Senators John Hoeven and Kent Conrad, and Representative Rick Berg, as well as their staff, for taking time to learn what hospice provides for communities in rural North Dakota and the role hospice plays in the lives of the terminally ill and their loved ones.

We firmly believe hospice care is part of the solution to our nation’s health care problems. And, we know, with certainty, we make a difference in the lives of our patients and their families.

Please join us in supporting the HELP Hospice Act and contact North Dakota’s Congressmen and urge them to support the Act too. Passage of this legislation is a necessary first step to preserving access to hospice for future generations, particularly in rural areas like much of North Dakota.

With Respect,

Derek Martin, RN, CHPN                                Robyn Ullrich, LSW Clinical Manager                                                          Patient Care Social Worker

Hospice of the Red River Valley

The fourth annual Debbie Gabel Memorial Motorcycle Ride, Raffle and Street Dance will be held Saturday, July 28 in Valley City. Registration for the motorcycle ride begins at 9 a.m. in the Veterans Memorial Park parking lot, with the ride beginning at noon. Cost to participate is $20 per bike, and net proceeds benefit Hospice of the Red River Valley.

In addition to the motorcycle ride, this year’s event will also include a silent auction, street dance and raffle. The street dance will begin at 9 p.m. on Main Street between Central Avenue and 2nd Avenue East. The Christian Simmons band will play.

The raffle and silent auction, hosted at the VFW, will benefit Hospice of the Red River Valley. Raffle prizes include a 2012 Harley Davidson Heritage Classic, a 32″ flat screen TV, $300 gas card and a $300 beef bundle from Valley Meats. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased in advance or at the event.

For more information and where to purchase raffle tickets, visit http://www.thunderingsaints.com/.

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

The next Lunch and Learn will take place on Tuesday, July 17, 2012, from noon – 1 p.m. Gretchen Dobervich, the North Dakota field director at Alzheimer’s Association of Minnesota/North Dakota, will discuss behaviors associated with dementia, interventions for dealing with behaviors and activities for individuals with dementia. 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 your convenience, Lunch and Learns will be held at three Hospice of the Red River Valley locations: Fargo – 1701 38th St. SW, Fargo, ND; Lisbon – 415 Main Street, Lisbon, ND; or Valley City – 1240 W Main Street, Valley City, ND.

*The Lisbon and Valley City 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. RSVP to Missy at melissa.haut@hrrv.org or 701-356-1563 by July 11. 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.

The 3rd Annual Sweet ‘N’ Sticky in Dickey Rib Cook Off will be held Saturday, July 14, 2012, at the Dickey Bar, 217 4^th Ave., Dickey. All proceeds will be donated to Hospice of the Red River Valley in memory of loved ones who received Hospice care, including Dennis Kuska, Greg Klug, Dutch Kramer, Darrell Kramer and Terry Cuypers.

Those who would like to participate in the cook-off should complete a registration form at the Dickey Bar or download a registration form at https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/442796305740338. Registration costs $20 and includes two racks of ribs. Participants must provide their own grill or smoker and utensils. Registration is due by July 9; those who register by July 2 will also receive a free Sticky in Dickey t-shirt.

Participants must have their ribs cooked and ready to present to judges at 5:30 p.m. The public will be able to sample the ribs, along with pork and beans, beginning at 6 p.m. The public is encouraged to give a free-will donation.

For more information about the rib cook-off, contact Chrissy Kartes at 701-778-7346 or Alica Lauf-Pekarski at 701-238-9059.

Hospice of the Red River Valley was recently awarded a $2,775 grant from the Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation. The funds will be used to purchase new and updated resources for the Journeys Program Resource Library.

The Journeys Program Resource Library contains books, CDs, DVDs, tapes, newsletters and other resources related to end-of-life and grief. The resources are intended for anyone who is dealing with a terminal illness, their family members and caregivers. All materials are available on a one-month loan basis.

“This generous award comes at a perfect time, and we are so appreciative,” said Nicolle Aukland, Hospice of the Red River Valley development officer. “Hospice of the Red River Valley is seen as the expert in end-of-life care. Our Journeys Program Resource Library is a necessary tool for us to maintain so that we may continue to offer end-of-life and grief information to patients, families, support networks and the communities we serve.”

For more information about the Journey’s Program Resource Library, visit our website at www.hrrv.org or call 1-800-237-4629.