Now that the new year has come and gone we at Angela Hospice are gearing up for another year of events. These annual events play a significant role in helping support our organization. Through ticket sales and donations, among other aspects of these events, we are able to continue providing high-quality care to our patients and their loved ones. For our upcoming events we've created a wish list for auction and raffle items, both of which are at many of our events. Listed below are some items we are hoping for to make our auctions and raffles the best they can be. Are you a frequent flyer? Airline miles or airline tickets are on our list. Destination certificates for vacation homes, rentals, summer vacation spots or golf courses. Tickets to Tigers, Wings, Pistons or the Lions (who might actually make it to the playoffs this year) for Detroit-loving sports fans. If you have a favorite restaurant, donate a giftcard from there. Experience certificates: hot air ball

Name: Georgia Scappaticci How long have you been a volunteer? Since 1998 What areas do you work in/what tasks do you do as a volunteer? Thursday tea, notary service for home care patients, bereavement, and fundraising. What made you decide to become a volunteer? To become a volunteer I took the course because I was helping with the fundraising at the beginning in 1998 when we did it at Jacobson's, and Carolyn DiComo asked if I would help chair it with her. So that's how I actually got into it. I didn't know that much about it (hospice care), and after I learned and got more knowledge about it that's when I thought this is a wonderful place to work with, and just being with the people and trying to help whenever. Why Angela Hospice? Transportation-wise it was close. As I said Carolyn DiComo was the one that got me into it to begin with, raising money for Angela Hospice. Then I got to become friend

By Dana Casadei, Angela Hospice Volunteer When Dave Werton received the Volunteer of the Year award last April, saying he was surprised is an understatement. Dave with a We Honor Veterans blanket. "I had no idea, really," he said. In fact he was tricked into going to the annual volunteer dinner, which he hadn't attended in years. He had been told there would be something for the We Honor Veterans program he's a part of. That didn't happen, and instead he got the night’s top award. And after speaking to Werton it's easy to see why. "When I first met him I thought he worked here. I thought he was a social worker," laughed Syndie Best, Volunteer Services Manager. "But then I found out he was a volunteer. And that's the thing. He's so unassuming. There's nothing about him that would stand out and go, 'Ta-do, here I am.' He's just not that kind of person." "I think that's pa

Name: Mary Serra How long have you been a volunteer? This is her second year What areas do you work in/what tasks do you do as a volunteer? Clerical, events, gardening, patient and family care, and ice cream socials What made you decide to become a volunteer? I needed something productive and constructive to do since I've been retired. I tell people volunteering is the best job I've had out of them all, and it's the one I don't even get paid for, but it's the one I enjoy the most. Why Angela Hospice? We used their services a little bit for my mom. It was very short-lived, of course. Also, my next-door neighbor is a home health nurse for Angela (Hospice), and I just whole-heartedly believe in what they do for the patients and families as far as end-of-life care. I just think it's a wonderful program. What is your favorite part about volunteering? My interactions with patients and families. I enjoy that. What

Can you believe it's already December? Houses are lighting up with colorful lights, presents are being bought, and trees are quickly getting put up. You probably already have your favorite ornaments lined up and ready to go, or hung on the tree. But why not make room for one more? Now in the Angela Hospice Gift Shop, both in the Care Center and online , are unique clay angel ornaments. Texan artist Jacqueline Thomas exclusively designed these angels for hospice. While intended to be a decorative ornament for the holiday season it can also be given as a keepsake or a memorial for a loved one. The sale of each angel is restricted solely to hospice organizations so you won't be able to find these at your local retailers. Each item is handcrafted by Thomas, individually gift-boxed, and costs $25. You can also have an angel, or angels if you're really feeling the holiday spirit, shipped for an additional $3 by calling the Development Office at (734) 464-7810. Gift shop

For those that don't enjoy braving the malls on Black Friday, or the holiday season in general, shopping online is the way to go. You can stay in your PJs, drink as many cups of coffee as you want, and wear your favorite fuzzy slippers. While Cyber Monday is a great day to get some deals, Goodshop Sunday, on November 30 , will not only get you some steals but let you give a little to your favorite charity – like Angela Hospice. Goodshop Sunday is a day packed with exclusive savings and double donations at your favorite stores. Join the thousands of others who have already taken the Goodshop Sunday pledge to buy one gift that gives back with Goodshop this holiday season. And be sure to share it on your social media platforms. After Goodshop Sunday don't put away your wallet too quickly. Visit Amazon Smile and support Angela Hospice there too. If you visit smile.amazon.com/ch/38-2755767 0.5% of your purchase will be donated to Angela Hospice. Angela Hospice i

Thanksgiving is a day to spend with family, give thanks, and eat too much turkey. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are all about getting the best deal for your buck. The following Tuesday, December 2, aka #GivingTuesday, may not have pumpkin pie or a free DVD but it will put you in the giving mood. And isn't that what the holiday season is really all about? The global day of giving was founded in 2012 by New York's 92nd Street Y, a cultural, educational, and community center that serves people of all ages, races, faiths, and backgrounds, in partnership with the United Nations Foundation. #GivingTuesday was inspired by the core Jewish value of tikkun olam, which means, "repairing the world." The team of influencers and founding partners, which includes CEOs and company presidents among others, has launched a movement that has engaged over 10,000 organizations worldwide. “On the cusp of this gift-giving season, #GivingTuesday is such a refreshing reminder th

Name: Vickie Krause How long have you been a volunteer? Three years What areas do you work in/what tasks do you do as a volunteer? Patient and family care in the Care Center. What made you decide to become a volunteer? That's really interesting because until I became a volunteer I had no idea Angela Hospice existed or hospice existed. I retired rather unexpectedly from teaching and then found myself praying, "Now what do I do?" I kept saying, "Please use my talents." Doors just started opening and it led me here. It's just amazing. Absolutely amazing, and it is a wonderful fit. I am blessed beyond belief. Why Angela Hospice? I think that's one of the doors (that opened). I read the Observer periodically and for some reason I saw an ad or something about needing volunteers. So I called and one thing led to the other. I went through the classes and it was just absolutely amazing. My eyes were open. Wow. What is your

By: Dana Casadei, Angela Hospice volunteer November for many is the month with Thanksgiving. For some, it's the month when it's finally time to put up their holiday decorations. But for the hospice community, November is a time to raise awareness. Started in 1992, long after the first Thanksgiving, November became the National Hospice and Palliative Care month. The number of hospices in the United States has speedily grown since the first hospice was founded in 1974. That includes Livonia’s Angela Hospice, which was founded 11 years later in 1985. In 2013 more than 1.5-million patients received services from one of 5,800 hospices nationwide. Angela Hospice served 1,760 of those patients. While the numbers for 2014 haven't been totaled yet, Agnes Chor's husband John was one of this year's many patients that received care. During his one month and three days in the Angela Hospice Care Center, Agnes spent nearly every night with him, making it a home a