Hospice honors loved ones during the holidays

Hospice of North Central Oklahoma is lighting up the lives of those passed and present.

The Tree of Life lighting ceremony was postponed because of last weekend’s weather.

Nesley Fortenberry said the Tree of Life is an 11 year old tradition to raise funds for Hospice.

The tree symbolizes love and care during the holidays.

“Anybody can get an ornament," Fortenberry said. "They can get an ornament in memory or in honor of a loved one and they don’t have to be a hospice patient. You can just be honoring a special friend or somebody that’s been in your life.”

The ornaments adorn trees placed in six communities.

There is no set fee for the ornaments, but you must make a donation to get one.

You can do that at the Hospice of North Central Oklahoma’s website.

You get to chose which community tree you would like it on and chose between a bell, angel or star ornament.

The ornaments are engraved with the name of your loved one.

Fortenberry said when you get an ornament this year you get to chose where your money goes.

“This year you have a choice of how you want your donations to be used," Fortenberry said. "You can designate to the mission of Hospice of North Central Oklahoma or to our Building Gift of Caring Capitol Campaign.”

Both choices support Hospice’s mission of providing end of life care at no expense to the patient.

However, if you donated to the Caring Capitol campaign the Mabee Foundation will match your donation.

The lighting ceremony that kicks off the fundraiser will be tonight at 6.

It will be inside the Ponca Plaza near the Tag Agency.

There will be hot chocolate, Christmas carols and holiday candy.

Ornaments can be purchased until the end of December and will be hung on the specified tree during the holiday season.

Your ornament can be retrieved at the Hospice of North Central office on Jan. 15.

Partciapting communites and locations of the trees are:

Ponca City: Ponca Plaza

Blackwell: City Building

Newkirk: Houser Hardware

Tonkawa: Library

Kaw City: Kaw Lake One Stop

Braman: Kanza Travel Plaza

Fairfax: Health Center