This year the Caring at Christmas project received donations of over $25,000. This is the 19th year of the campaign and over the years more than $350,000 has been collected.
Instead of mailing Christmas cards to friends and relatives, area residents chose to donate the money they would have spent on cards and postage to “Caring at Christmas”. Shortly before Christmas, a “Christmas Greeting,” listing the names of all contributors to this fund, appears in the Sidney Daily News.
Wilson Hospice Care has been the recipient of these donations for many years, and the money raised has been used to pay for services and medications not covered by hospice patients’ insurance. This money helps to ease a difficult time in the lives of those who need it, and can be used for a few hours of rest for the caregiver, extra visits from a hospice nurse or aide, prescribed drugs, and/or a visit from the music therapist. The hospice team works closely with the patient’s private physician and develops a personalized plan of care for each family.
The Caring at Christmas committee is made up of local Shelby County residents, Sara Barhorst, Vicki Edwards and Holly Urbanc.