Hospice News

Call for Skilled Volunteers with Superior Sewing Skills

A Mother’s Spirit Preserved in a Memory Bear for Fairfield Resident

Following the loss of a family member, many people are comforted by an item of clothing, such as a favorite sweatshirt or t-shirt, which was worn by their loved one.  “Memory Bears,” as they are known, are made using a favorite garment(s) of the person who passed away.  The bears instantly become treasured keepsakes.

The Barnabas Health Hospice and Palliative Care Center’s (BHHPCC) BearHugs program is actively recruiting volunteer designers, quilters and crafters to make handcrafted “Memory Bears” for grieving families whose loved one has passed away on the hospice program.  Intermediate sewing skills are a prerequisite for participation.

Ongoing teaching sessions, led by trained instructors, take place on Monday mornings at 10:00 a.m. and Monday evenings at 6:00 p.m., at the BHHPCC, at 95 Old Short Hills Road in West Orange.

For more information about becoming a BearHugs volunteer, please call Spiro Ballas, Volunteer Coordinator, at 973-322-4866.
  
BearHugs is funded by a generous grant from the Schwimmer Family, in memory of Judith Schwimmer.

Barnabas Health Hospice and Palliative Care Center BearHugs Volunteers provide treasured keepsakes for family members.  Picture here
(left to right) are Volunteers Harriet Feitlowitz, Patti Marino, Maureen Bernstein, Penny Satgliano, Jo Corbin, Marcy Goldstein
and Diana Lanza.

Creating a Keepsake

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