For 16 years, Art of Caring has raised money system-wide for Baptist hospice programs as well as for Kemmons Wilson Family Center for Good Grief in Collierville. This year the event was held in a new venue at the Memphis Zoo in Teton Trek, which was transformed into an art gallery where guests strolled throughout a labyrinth display on the second floor and enjoyed a beautiful food table as they entered. Much excitement was generated with a new online auction, where employees throughout the system as well as people in Hawaii, Colorado, New Jersey, Wyoming and Florida, participated prior to the event. But bids were still “live” on line throughout the evening with guests using their smartphone to watch their bid and increase it when competition appeared.

We are most grateful to the fine arts community that donated more than 100 items ion art canvases large and small, jewelry, pottery, sculpture, wood working. We even had vacation items and specialty occasions such as a picnic in a TREEHOUSE MASTERS treehouse on Horseshoe Lake, a fishing trip for two in a fancy lodge, a Ghost River eco-friendly tour for eight or a one week stay at Orange Lake Resort in Florida;

training sessions in leadership development or a personal trainer workout; and novelty items such as “GET OUT OF THE DOG HOUSE” evening that included flowers and candy.

Honorary Curators - Ritche Bowden, Beth Dixon, Lele Popwell, Anne Stokes and Carolyn Williams garnered our auction items. In addition, Dianne and Myron Mall, Anne and John Stokes and Carolyn Williams held a donor and artist appreciation party before the event to express our gratitude.

We express special thanks to our Presenting Sponsor -Johnson Controls, our Philanthropist Sponsors - FedEx, Lipscomb Pitts

and Midtown Framer & Art, and our Sustaining Sponsors - Bottletree Design Group, CBRE Memphis, Newmark Grubb, Orion Federal Credit Union, Sides Commercial Cleaning and Watkins Uiberall, PLCC.

We also are thankful for our Host Committee, Adrienne and R. Lou Arrindell, Vicki Carayiannis, Jan and Ron Coleman, Sarah Haizlip, Anne and Pat Halloran, Celeste LaChapelle, Ellen and B.J. Losch, Donna and Joe Lucchesi, Dianne and Myron Mall, Lee and Eliot Morris, Kim and Johnny Pitts, Katie and Jack Shannon and Lauren and Tommy Young, who helped bring record-breaking attendance.

Art of Caring Gathered a Festive, Caring Crowd

Volume 3 Issue 2 September 2015

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

ART OF CARING 1-2

GIVE SOMETHING PRICELESS– GIVE A WISH 3

MEET WANDA MILLER

4

continued on page 2

A Quarterly Newsletter of the Kemmons Wilson Family Center for Good Grief & Baptist Trinity Hospice

An event like Art of Caring wouldn’t be possible

without the generosity of volunteers. Junior cura-

tor Lele Popwell served as an intern through a na-

tionally-recognized leadership development pro-

gram called Hutchison Leads that is designed to

empower young women to become 21st century

leaders through experiences in public policy devel-

opment, private sector initiatives, civic responsibil-

ity, and service learning. Lele gained hands-on ex-

perience in event planning and heading the social

media and online bidding portion of the entire

project. She wrote a blog about her experience and

will make a formal presentation later this year.

Another volunteer leader was Miranda Griffin, an artist and

faux painter who took the initiative to encourage fellow

artists to participate and came up with a “party animal”

theme to decorate Teton Trek.

Several young artists participated, exhibiting significant com-

mitment to our cause. Daisye Rainer, a junior at the

Hutchison School, explained why she donated her painting,

entitled Chin Up. “I believe that giving back to causes like

the Center for Good Grief remains so important because it

is through organizations like these that the Memphis citizens are able to unite and come

together despite an individual’s background, opportunity or status. And with the help of

these organizations, Memphis becomes not only a community, but a family,” said Daisye.

Because of patient confidentiality, proceeds from Art of Caring

help people who our supporters may never meet and who will

never pay them back. Some of them are hospice patients and

others receive free counseling after the loss of their loved ones

from the Kemmons Wilson Family Center for Good Grief. Art of

Caring was a successful art auction and party which raised more

than $76,000. More importantly, by supporting it, we are

providing dignity to those who are dying and comfort for those

left behind. Art of Caring celebrates the value of life.

Art of Caring (continued from page 1)

Volume 3, Issue 2

Miranda Griffin and Lele Popwell

having fun together at Teton Trek

SKIES OF BLUE, CLOUDS OF WHITE

by Kate Floyd

PACER PALS by Mary Reed

THE LAST SUNSET (photo) by Jon Sparks

LOOKING BACK

by Twin Jerry Lynn donated by David Lusk

Page 2

Page 3

What gift always fits, never wears out, but is always returned? JOY.

For many patients with life-limiting illnesses, their wishes are quite simple: attend a

family reunion; enjoy a loved one's birthday; ride a horse; go fishing; learn to play an

instrument. These are priceless memories and time with loved ones, but when a loved

one is sick, family members struggle to find time to plan these wishes.

During the last week of his life, John Brandon and his wife were treated to their very

first vacation thanks to Priceless Wishes, a wonderful program of Baptist Trinity Hos-

pice. Mr. Brandon, a home hospice patient, had led a long, hard-working life. However,

he and his wife Cynthia had never taken a trip together because they could not afford it.

Near the end of his life, Mrs. Brandon had to work fulltime in order to support both of them. She told the Baptist Trinity social work-

er, who aided the couple that she assumed they would never be able to take any trip together because of his declining health.

The Baptist team heard Mr. Brandon's story and went to work planning an unforgettable evening for the very deserving couple. They

were able to reserve a hotel suite donated by the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN for the Brandons to enjoy for a night. A donated

limousine arrived at the Brandon's home and whisked them away for an evening of fun. When the Brandons arrived at the Peabody,

Mr. Brandon was presented with a golden duck head cane and was ceremoniously introduced to hundreds of captivated guests as

the hotel's Honorary Duck Master. Mrs. Brandon said, “I knew he was in pain when he was in front of everybody at the Peabody, but

there is no way you could have wiped that smile off his face. It was such a special night, and it was one that I will never forget.”

The Baptist team also approached a downtown Memphis carriage company about providing a horse-drawn carriage ride through

Downtown Memphis to Westy's for dinner and a ride around the city as the evening’s finale. The owner of the carriage company also

owned the restaurant. He was so touched by the story that he provided the Brandons with a free dinner during their night on the

town. The Priceless Wishes program is a simple way to help make wishes come true for hospice patients.

This simple philanthropy is a thoughtfully sponsored response to a desire that the patient has quietly mentioned. Make one of the

last times, one of the best times by donating:

A candlelit anniversary dinner

Custom wig for a cancer patient

A professional family photograph

A manicure/pedicure

A special final birthday or holiday party

A floral delivery

A quartet playing a favorite symphonic repertoire

Our hospice patients know their time is short so building meaning

into their final days is vitally important to them and their loved

ones. These occasions are bittersweet, but these are also times of great joy and celebration that provide lasting memories. Your

donation to Priceless Wishes, which can be made in the name of a friend or family member, will help make that happen.

To make a wish come true CLICK HERE

Give Something Priceless—Give a Wish

Volume 3, Issue 2

Page 4

Tell us about your self – personally and professionally

By example, what do you do on the weekends?

I am a nurse by trade and began my career in home care and hospice 27 years ago at Baptist Home Care & Hospice. I have held a variety of leadership roles over the years including case management roles, marketing, and operational positions. I am married to my high school sweetheart Glenn for now 32 years. I have two children a daughter Morgan 25 and a son Michael 21. We enjoy family time with our immediate and extended family that includes playing games, hang-ing by the pool or water sports as often as we can, college and professional sports, traveling, cooking out, and eating out together. I enjoy dabbling in and refurbishing or painting furniture, re-selling old items/furniture/junk. I teach Sunday school of all ages but mainly 3rd graders or ladies classes and enjoy coor-dinating costume/wardrobe for annual VBS at my church.

What motivated you into service to others through healthcare?

My motivation for service to others began through watching my parents do this all my life. We always had the preachers over for Sunday dinner, entertained the entire church of all ages at our house through fall festivals, cookouts, etc. Our family coordinated and volunteered helping with whatever was presented before us as a need. We took an elderly lady to church every Sunday or to any activity she wanted to attend as long as I can remember who had no family in town. My father was a land surveyor as a part time job from his main job and was always helping someone out who needed the work but unable to afford It. They both have amazing servant hearts so it was taught to me by example my whole life.

Who has been your career mentor? Why?

My career mentors have been both of my parents as well as many other great leaders in this organization. Both of my parents had amazing work ethic. My dad was a civil engineer for the state of TN and lead an office his entire career with dignity and integrity. My mother was a USD A grader and somehow managed to cook every day for our family, work full time, keep the house and clothes cleaned, kept up with three children and still managed to do all of the entertaining and servant worked I mentioned.

I was also fortunate to have two amazing women to mentor me along the way in my healthcare career. Karon Austin and Nancy Averwater are strong leaders who mentored me to always have very high expectations of my own performance and those around me, to be honest, ethical, and compassionate while doing it. They both continue to be great mentors for me because the lessons learned never leave you.

How have you seen the work of hospice and center make a difference?

Being allowed to serve at the Center and hospice has made this the most rewarding time of my life. In hospice, no patient is turned away based on their ability to pay, and at the Center, all counseling sessions are free. We provide last wishes of those who are dying and honor those who have served for our country through our “We Honor Veterans” program. I love reading letters and notes from family members who say we have made a difference in their lives. They tell us they didn’t think they could put one foot in front of the other or even get out of bed without us, and our caretakers were angels sent at the most perfect time. After reading letters like that, I know I am in the right place and blessed to be part of a team that provides such compassionate care every day.

Please give us a picture of hospice and the center five years from now

The need for compassionate hospice care and professional grief counseling is with us now and will continue to grow five years from now. As word of the work we do at the Center, home hospice and residential Hospice House spreads, we hope to be able to provide hope and dignity to any individual in the Baptist footprint who is in need of hospice services or grief counseling with free counseling sessions and camps through our child, teen or adult Camp Good Grief programs. With continued community support, we can continue to grow and develop our services, pro-grams and support groups.

Meet Our Wonderful Wanda Miller CEO/Administrator of Baptist Home Care & Hospice

Volume 2, Issue 1

If you know someone who is grieving and might need support or someone in a professional role who is often called into the bereavement process, help

us spread the word about the Kemmons Wilson Family Center for Good Grief by simply emailing Patchworks, on to them.

Kemmons Wilson Family Center for Good Grief charges nothing for its services and is entirely dependent on fundraising. Your gifts matter more than you

may realize to those of us who have lost loved ones. If you wish to contribute, please contact us at 901-227-7125 or penny.aviotti@bmhcc.org.

Kemmons Wilson Family Center for Good Grief

1520 W. Poplar Ave. Collierville, TN 38107

901-861-5656

Please forward PATCHWORKS to your friends and colleagues

PATCHWORKS is a part of the

Ties That Bind initiative To subscribe to

PATCHWORKS go to:

www.bmhgiving.org

Baptist Memorial Health Care

Foundation

Like us on