Hospice quilts display memorials

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Hospice memorial quilts are on display this week at the SOMC Friends Center for public viewing through Sunday, Jan. 10.

Susan Goins, SOMC Hospice Bereavement Coordinator, said since 1995 family members of patients who have been cared for through SOMC Hospice have been invited to decorate a fabric square honoring the memory of their loved ones. The first two quilts were made to honor patients who were cared for from 1995 through 1997. Due to the popularity of the first quilts, family members who had loved ones cared for from 1985 through 1995 were invited to make memorial blocks as well. Enough squares were created by these families that three more quilts were made.

To date there are a total of 44 memorial quilts. One quilt a year was made. Beginning in 2002 two quilts were made each year and since 2009 there have been enough blocks to make three quilts a year. Some of the blocks show photographs of loved ones while other blocks are hand made in a more traditional style. Each year SOMC Hospice holds a Life Celebration at the Friends Center honoring the patients who have passed away.

Goins said the hours and days to see the quilts are as follows; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 5:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Saturday 5:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m..

“Each year we send out a letter in August and invite all of the families that have had a loved one to pass away in our SOMC Hospice care to complete a quilt square. If they choose to complete a square we mail them the color square that they request,” Goins said. “We provide a list of places to take the quilt square if they decide that they would rather have the square professionally completed. Our year runs from Oct. 1, of the prior year to Sept. 30, of the current year. The Community is welcomed to come and see our memorial quilts.”

Goins said SOMC Hospice holds the quilt project as a memorial to their patients and their families.

“We feel it is an honor for us to be able to present the quilts as an ongoing memorial to the families that we have cared for,” Goins said. “We have had people in the past that have not had a family member in Hospice or they were for some reason not able to do a quilt square at the time their loved one died, they use the Quilt Project as a part of their grieving process and they contribute a square to be included in our current years quilts.”

She said if someone in the community wants to contribute a square they can call her at SOMC Hospice 740-356-2567 and she will be glad to assist them.

By Frank Lewis

[email protected]

Reach Frank Lewis at 740-353-3101, ext. 1928, or on Twitter @franklewis.

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