Lakeside Hospice starts gazebo project

Published 8:00 am Friday, November 22, 2013

Lakeside Hospice recently began construction on a gazebo project for their grief support group. The organization hopes to eventually expand the gazebo into an amphitheater for musical performances and use the land for memorial gardens.

Lakeside Hospice received a $5,000 grant for the project from Home Depot. Anthony’s Concrete formed and finished the concrete around the gazebo and an anonymous donor donated the concrete. Joey Callahan with Callahan Properties helped with the beginning structures of the gazebo. Home Depot provided Lakeside with a discount on stones, and Honda gave a $2,000 reimbursement for the price of the stones. Honda also supplied 20 co-op volunteers, who each worked an eight-hour days. 

The gazebo is the middle stages of construction, and the amphitheatre remains in mind as construction is continued. Demetria Thareatt, Americorps Vista volunteer coordinator said that she thinks this gazebo is a great project that the grief support group will really enjoy. “Lakeside is a faith based organization,’ said Thareatt. “We’re not here to just care for people but to be a blessing to them in many different ways.”

And that is exactly what the grief support group at Lakeside provides. Lakeside employee, Teresa Carden said that the group often has celebration of life events. These are balloon-release ceremonies that give each individual an opportunity to share about and remember a loved one. Also, this gives an opportunity to share emotions and be with a group of people that are sharing that type of grief. The support group is open to all Lakeside patients and people in the community that are grieving.

Sharon Smith with Lakeside Hospice said that the music that will be enjoyed at the gazebo will be used as a tool for comfort and reflection. “This place is going to allow those grieving a quite place to come to where people love you,” said Smith. She also said that they would like to add sections dedicated to the memory of loved ones. 

As Lakeside nears the end of their project, they invite those who are grieving to try out this new place to cope and enjoy time with friends. For those interested in finishing up the project, you can volunteer by contacting Demetria Thareatt at  (205) 884-1111.