On the afternoon of June 4, Center for Hospice Care (CHC) hosted its Gardens of Remembrance and Renewal Memorial Item Dedication Ceremony at its Elkhart Campus. This annual event recognizes those who have donated furniture, decorations, or memorial bricks to the Gardens. It also serves as a memorial service for CHC patients who have passed away. CHC employees, as well as family members and friends of CHC patients who have passed, were in attendance. Chris Taelman, chief development officer for the Hospice Foundation and a CHC supporter, considers the Memorial Item Dedication Ceremony to be a meaningful expression of thanks to the generous donors who have contributed to the Gardens over the years.
“This ceremony is a great way for friends and family members of our patients to gather together and remember their loved ones,” Taelman said. “We are very pleased to be able to provide them with this opportunity to gather as a community and commemorate those who are no longer with us. We're so grateful to these people who have chosen to sponsor a brick or other items as this ultimately supports our mission to improve our patients’ quality of living.”
The Gardens of Remembrance and Renewal invite quiet reflection. This beautiful sectioned-off area features a koi pond with a small bridge, several benches, lattice-roofed shelters, and a walking path. Although families and friends of former CHC patients have donated memorial items like young trees and wind spinners, memorial bricks are the most commonly donated item. These bricks are inscribed with the name and date of the honoree and typically feature a message from the donor. The bricks are then set in the Gardens’ walking path for all visitors to see. As he addressed the attendees, CHC President and CEO John Mastrojohn offered some words of comfort.
“Not only do we extend our appreciation to each of you for being here, but we also express our gratitude for trusting us to care for your loved ones during their most vulnerable moments,” Mastrojohn said. “Caring for those who are seriously ill and dying is both an honor and a privilege and it's a responsibility we take seriously. We realize the importance of our role in providing comfort, compassion, and dignity to all those we serve. As we honor your loved ones this evening, please know that we stand beside you. We understand the pain of loss, the beauty of memories, and the complexity of emotions. We celebrate their lives alongside you and cherish the legacy they’ve left behind.”
CHC Bereavement Counselor Kelly Eberhart also shared some words of comfort and encouragement with the attendees and led a reading of the poem “We Remember Them.” Attendees located their donated bricks on the walking path, talked among themselves, or simply sat on the benches to reflect. Taelman believes that the memorial item dedication ceremony is a reflection of CHC’s core values.
"Patients and their family members are at the center of every aspect of the care we provide,” Taelman said. “This ceremony is part of our cycle of care. After our patients have passed, we want to make sure that a support system is available for their families and loved ones. The memorial item dedication ceremony is one of the ways that we provide support to the people who need it.”
Please visit cfhcare.org to learn more about CHC and the array of services it offers patients and their families.