Lamar Area Hospice Recognizes the Joy of Giving

Lisa McCollough, Patti Emick, Shirley Smith, Holly Burton, Robbie Sue Young, Lisa Carder, Megan Grett. Seated: Denise Carder, Deb Pelley, Rose Ann Yates

“We have the most amazing fund raising committee and it really makes a difference, it really does.” That was a comment from Deb Pelley, Executive Director of Lamar Area Hospice, as she was presented with a record $31,000 check from the Lamar Hospice Committee this past Thursday evening, December 17^th.  It was a fitting gift just several days prior to Christmas, and as Pelley explained, an apt example of the generosity of the residents in the community.

The funds were raised through two main events held by the committee each year, the Angels Open Golf Tournament and the August dinner/dance and auction held in Lamar. Committee member, Denise Carder mentioned another event which may become an annual occasion.  “This past February the Buzzard’s Roost started a Pirate’s themed party which was a real success and the committee went forward with it and we raised $9,000.”  She said plans are already underway for February 2016 for another one.

Rose Ann Yates said the additional funding was due in part to corporate assistance. “We decided to see what we could bring in and raised the levels from $250 to $500 and that made a difference.”  Last year’s donation was in the neighborhood of $21,000 from the committee.  Yates and Pelley offered praise to the generosity of Mike Flowers, a former Lamar resident who now lives in California.  Pelley stated, “He donated $100,000 to our capital construction fund several years ago when we moved into our current location.”  Yates added, “He has never missed with supplying us with donations such as tickets to Rockies’ or Bronco’s games.”

Since the committee was founded an estimated $260,000 has been raised and donated to the Lamar Area Hospice. Pelley praised past and present members for their assistance and noted what the donations has enabled them to do, “This goes into medicine, it pays for our nurses and it pays for gas for all the rural miles we drive each year.  If we had to survive on the low Medicare reimbursements we receive, we just couldn’t do what we provide to our families.  We could not be as generous to our families if the community was not generous to us.”

Rose Ann Yates said the committee is thinking ahead for the coming year and may attempt to gain some national corporate sponsorships to help provide additional funding.

By Russ Baldwin