Winter Festival’s series of fundraising events, through a collaboration of Friends of Hospice and Talbot Hospice, raised a record-breaking amount in support of patients and families.

Winter Festival, with its marquee event 37th annual Festival of Trees, also included Pump It Up for Hospice, Santa 5K Fun Run, Carols by Candlelight, and Holiday House Tours that raised a collective amount of $169,000. Since its creation in 1986, Friends of Hospice has raised more than $3 million for Talbot Hospice.

The donation, the largest ever raised by the annual events, was made possible by this passionate group of volunteers, said Winter Festival co-chairman and Friends of Hospice Board member John Horner. As committee members gathered for a group photo, John wanted “to enjoy this wonderful moment of support for Talbot Hospice as a group. This wonderful donation happened because of you.”

John Horner (left), Winter Festival co-chairman and Friends of Hospice Board member, Brenda Forbes-Butler, board president of Friends of Hospice, Mia Cranford, festival co-chairman and Talbot Hospice Director of Development, and Christopher A. Chekouras, Executive Director of Talbot Hospice, are thrilled with the fundraising efforts of Winter Festival.

John took a moment to thank the volunteers attending the check presentation ceremony and exclaimed how it was “an amazing journey to work on five special events with the group who made it all possible.”

Work is already underway to organize for the events in 2023. Anyone interested in working on a committee or serving as a chairman may contact Karla Wieland-Cherry, Festival of Trees chairman, at [email protected]. For more information about Talbot Hospice, visit www.talbothospice.org.

Talbot Hospice provides compassionate care, comfort and support for patients and their families and caregivers wherever they call home. Talbot Hospice serves patients facing life-limiting illnesses through hospice and palliative care, as well as its Pathways and bereavement programs. Services are available to patients and caregivers regardless of ability to pay. The mission of the Friends of Hospice, a nonprofit volunteer organization, is to raise funds for the Talbot Hospice Foundation through the annual Festival of Trees and related events.

Talbot Hospice is pleased to announce the return of its Talbot Kids Grief Camp on Saturday, August 14th at Evergreen Cove.

Talbot Hospice is pleased to announce the return of its Talbot Kids Grief Camp in August after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19.

“Grief Camp is an important component of our bereavement support for children,” said Chris Chekouras, Talbot Hospice Executive Director. “Children grieve differently than adults. At Grief Camp, we create a safe and supportive environment where children can express themselves through play and peer support, build self-esteem and learn practical, life-long skills to handle difficult experiences.”

Grief Camp will be hosted at Evergreen Cove in Easton and will begin with a orientation for parents and campers on Friday evening, August 12^th and a kids-only day camp on Saturday, August 13^th. The camp is led by Talbot Hospice’s Bereavement Team of professional grief counselors and specially-trained volunteers.

Talbot Kids Grief Camp is open to any youth ages 6-17 on the Mid-Shore who has experienced the death of a loved one, regardless of whether they received services from Talbot Hospice. The Grief Camp program is designed to meet the unique needs of grieiving children and includes team oriented games and activities, participation in small groups, therapeutic arts and crafts, opportunities to meet other kids who know what its like to lose someone special, and connections with professional grief counselors.

The program is offered free of charge through Talbot Hospice and its generous donors.

To learn more and to register, please visit www.talbothospice.org/events or contact Talbot Hospice’s bereavement team at410-822-668.

About Talbot Hospice

Talbot Hospice provides compassionate care, comfort and support for patients and their families and caregivers wherever they call home. Talbot Hospice serves patients facing life-limiting illnesses through Hospice and Palliative Care as well as its Pathways and Bereavement programs. Services are available to patients and caregivers regardless of ability to pay. Learn more at www.talbothospice.org.

Talbot Hospice will welcome William Paul Young to the Avalon Theater on October 28^th for a discussion about his #1 bestseller, “The Shack” and how it relates to grief, healing, forgiveness and spirituality.

“We are proud to welcome William Paul Young to Easton and hope that our friends and neighbors will join us for this free community event,” said Chris Chekouras, Talbot Hospice Executive Director. “’The Shack’ is a wonderful starting point for introspection and engaging conversations about how we process grief, shame and forgiveness.”

Talbot Hospice will welcome William Paul Young, author of the #1 Bestseller, The Shack, to the Avalon Theater on October 28th.

“The Shack” tells the story of Mack, a father struggling with the tragic loss of his daughter on a family trip to the Pacific Northwest. Four years after her horrific death, Mack receives a letter, supposedly from God, inviting him to spend a weekend in the shack where his daughter was violently murdered. Mack accepts and then has a life-changing experience that allows him to understand and cope with his grief and shame.

“The Shack,” as described by the author, is a metaphor for the “house we build out of our own pain” as well as “the places you get stuck, you get hurt, you get damaged … the thing where shame or hurt is centered.”

“The Shack” was originally written as a Christmas gift for Young’s six children, but was later published in 2007 at the urging of Young’s friends and colleagues. It went on to become a #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today Bestseller and, to date, it has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. In 2017 it was adapted into a feature film starring Academy Award Winner, Octavia Spencer, and Grammy Award Winner, Tim McGraw.

This free, community event is open to the public, however, registration required. Attendees should note that the Avalon Theater requires proof of vaccination and a photo ID for admission.

To register, please visit www.talbothospice.org/events.

About Talbot Hospice

Talbot Hospice provides compassionate care, comfort and support for patients and their families and caregivers wherever they call home. Talbot Hospice serves patients facing life-limiting illnesses through hospice and palliative care, as well as its pathways and bereavement programs. Services are available to patients and caregivers regardless of ability to pay. Learn more at www.talbothospice.org.

Throughout the month of November, Talbot Hospice is joining with its partners and colleagues across the country to raise awareness about the benefits of hospice and palliative care. The 2020 national theme, “The Faces of Caring,” honors the hard work and dedication of every hospice professional who has faced the challenges of COVID-19 to provide comfort and compassion to patients and their families.

“Hospice is not a place. Hospice is high-quality patient-centered care that enables patients and families to focus on living as fully as possible despite a life-limiting illness,” said Chris Chekouras, Talbot Hospice Executive Director. “We are proud to join with our colleagues to raise awareness locally and beyond of the benefits of hospice and palliative care.”

Senator Addie Eckardt presents Talbot Hospice with a Maryland Senate Citation in recognition of National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. From left: Mia Cranford, Mary Jane Meintzer, Senator Addie Eckardt, Molly Kirsch and Lisa Rizia.

To commemorate National Hospice & Palliative Care Month, Talbot Hospice received citations from Governor Larry Hogan and the Maryland State Senate as well as a proclamation from the Talbot County Council.

On November 10^th, Chekourasand Molly Kirsch, Clinical Director, provided an update to the Talbot County Council on the status of hospice and palliative care in Talbot County and how the organization continues to adapt to and provide care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We can still be hands-on, but our hands are now covered with a glove, and our faces are behind a mask. The compassion that we show and the depth of care we provide is still there, but it might look and feel a little different,” continued Chekouras. “For us, and everyone in healthcare, we’re all still finding our way. Our team continues to evolve to ensure that our patients and their families receive the compassionate and personalized care they deserve and need in a time of continued uncertainty.”

About Talbot Hospice

Talbot Hospice provides compassionate care, comfort and support for patients and their families and caregivers wherever they call home. Talbot Hospice serves patients facing life-limiting illnesses through hospice and palliative care, as well as its pathways and bereavement programs. Services are available to patients and caregivers regardless of ability to pay. Learn more at www.talbothospice.org.