Groundbreaking for Hope House, a long-awaited children's addition to Southwest Christian Hospice in Union City, will be Thursday, Oct. 18 at 11 a.m.

Organizers are planning a 30-minute ceremony involving families involved with Hope House's home-based care program, local politicians, board members and volunteers.

Angela Ewers, event coordinator, announced that Dr. John Potts, medical director of Hope House, Dr. Jim Dyer of Southwest Christian Hospice and state Rep. Lynn Westmoreland will speak briefly at the groundbreaking.

Elected representatives from Clayton County and Union City also are expected to attend.

Hope House will be a respite care center for dozens of children afflicted with life threatening conditions, next to the existing hospice building. Currently, there is only one room allocated for pediatric care at Southwest Christian Hospice, but a home care program has been in operation for several years attending to children in a 12-county area.

The center, supported by area churches, will provide a place for fragile children to stay for a few days or as along as two weeks, to allow parents a little time off from the grueling 24-hour-a-day task of caring for a seriously ill child.

Plans call for an eight-bedroom wing, complete with family lounge, two parents' efficiency rooms, game room, computer and music room, library, multisensory room, hydrotherapy pool, spa bath and showers, gardens, outdoor play area and a chapel.