Honor the life of someone special

[By JoAnn R. Walter]

The Tioga Friends of Hospice invites you to remember the life of someone special for their Memorial Day Remembrance fundraiser.

The non-profit provides financial support to charitable organizations that enhance the quality of life for people and their families navigating critical and terminal illnesses, and it promotes greater awareness of hospice care in the community.

The Friends of Hospice supports Guthrie Hospice, Make-A-Wish, Mercy House, Traci’s Hope, and Right Beside You. 

Jamie Striley, President of the Tioga Friends of Hospice, remarked, “These organizations bring comfort, care, and hope to Tioga County residents facing critical and terminal illnesses,” adding, “Friends of Hospice helps ease the burden on individuals and families by providing financial assistance for everyday, incidental expenses during life’s most challenging moments.”

The new Memorial Day Remembrance fundraiser is another meaningful way to honor and remember loved ones.

A memorial donation of $10 per loved one, along with a completed form, is all that is required. Your donations are tax-deductible. Checks should be made out to “Friends of Hospice.” Completed forms can be mailed to:  Friends of Hospice, P.O. Box 638, Owego, N.Y. 13827.

Memorial requests must be received no later than May 16, 2026. Names will be printed in the May 24, 2026 issue of The Owego Pennysaver. Names will be printed under your designated Tioga County town/village location, or “Out of Area” for loved ones outside of Tioga County.

The Friends of Hospice will continue their annual tradition of lighting memorial trees throughout communities in the month of December, and a fundraiser they have held for more than 25 years.  

Striley assumed the role of President at the beginning of 2026, following the relocation of Friends of Hospice board member and former president, Ruthanne Orth.  Today, officers include Shawn Fahey as Vice President, Pam Baltzley as Treasurer, and Denise Ahart as Secretary.  

Board members include Colleen Craig, Diane Craig, Kim Depew, Jean Fisher, Heather Gunther, Colleen Jones, Gary Jones, James McFadden, Carolyn Palladino, Kristin Sherman, and Judy White.

Striley commented that each member of the board has a deeply personal reason for serving and noted, “Our board is dedicated, and we are especially grateful for the members who have faithfully served for more than three decades, which is a true testament to their commitment and passion.”

As for the organization’s overall mission, Striley shared, “It is incredibly meaningful to help bring comfort to someone in their final days, and truly heartwarming to hear from families whose child’s wish was made possible through this support,” and added, “We are deeply grateful for our community’s generosity. That is what makes this work, and our mission, possible.”

Over the last twenty years, Friends of Hospice has donated many thousands of dollars to help fund Tioga County Wish Kids. To date, fifteen Tioga County children have had their wishes granted.

Director of Mission Delivery at Make-A-Wish of Central New York, Moe Harrington, explained that Friends of Hospice has helped support Wish Kids for wishes such as trips to Florida’s Disney World, among others.

Harrington shared, “For many of these children and families, it is the first vacation they have ever had.”  

The Central New York location covers fifteen counties, and about forty percent of the overall Make-A-Wish recipients request Disney World. Harrington noted that not every wish is the same and is individualized based on the child’s imagination. From shopping sprees to room makeovers, attending a major league baseball game, or acquiring a new computer, the wishes are unique to the child. Every wish granted, she said, extends hope to an ill child and their family. 

Harrington praised working with the Tioga Friends of Hospice as, “A wonderful partnership, and they are so engaged. They know the needs of the families and the community, and want us to let them know as soon as a Tioga County wish comes into the system,” and added, “They are a wonderful resource, too.”

Harrington shared a story where she was looking for a treehouse for a Make-A-Wish child and reached out to the Tioga Friends of Hospice for a recommendation, and was pleased that they knew of an individual who could help fulfill the need.

The community is invited to make a memorial donation in memory of a loved one and to let their legacy live on through kindness.  It can be a mother, father, grandparents, or friends, or an individual who has made a difference in your life. 

To learn more about the Tioga Friends of Hospice, visit www.tiogafriendsofhospice.org/.