Wednesday, November 27, 2002

Hospice gala continues tradition of community giving

Visiting Nurse/Hospice Atlanta celebrated 25 years of service to the Atlanta community at the 14th annual Hospice Atlanta Gala in October at the Piedmont Driving Club. Approximately 400 friends and supporters of Visiting Nurse/ Hospice Atlanta attended the gala evening to raise over $325,000 for the Hospice Atlanta Center, a residential hospice facility offering terminally ill patients who are unable to remain at home an alternative to hospital or institutional-based care. This year's "Messengers of Joy" Gala was chaired by Dr. and Mrs. James Hinkle and honored Sally and Warren Jobe, a devoted couple whose early belief in the mission of Hospice Atlanta and years of hard work helped make the in-patient facility a reality.

"For 25 years Hospice Atlanta has been quietly and consistently providing compassionate, high-quality hospice care in the home and community," said President and CEO Kathy Ziegler. "We're thrilled with the tremendous generosity shown by Atlanta's charitable supporters this year, which will allow us to continue helping hospice patients spend their final days with dignity, surrounded by the love of family and friends."

Major sponsors of this year's ball included: the Andrew & Eula Carlos Foundation, Northside Hospital, the Coca-Cola Company, the James M. Cox Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Jewell, and Judy and Michael Orkin.

The black-tie dinner dance featured an elegant seated dinner and lively music by the Neons. Enhancing this year's event was the 2nd annual Junior Party, hosted by co-chairs Mrs. Lizzie Baird Crawford and Mrs. Kimberly Booth Rimmer. Over 150 of Atlanta's young people enjoyed a gourmet buffet dinner and the opportunity to learn more about Hospice Atlanta's impact on the community.

The highlight of the evening was a silent auction featuring highly-prized items such as European getaways, golf packages, spectacular one-of-a-kind items donated by Visiting Nurse/Hospice Atlanta Board Members and other wonderful contributions from many of Atlanta's premier specialty shops.

Hospice Atlanta, a division of Visiting Nurse Health System, serves a 26-county area and is Atlanta's oldest hospice organization. Hospice Atlanta nurses, social workers, home health aides, chaplains and volunteers are trained to provide the medical and emotional support that these special patients and their families need. Hospice Atlanta is the first hospice in the Atlanta area to serve patients of all ages, all diagnoses and all socioeconomic levels.