See you at the park
LISA HOBBS
News Editor
Park Theater will be the place to be on the evening of Saturday, Aug. 15 when Caring Hearts United presents, “See if you Remember,” a musical trip through time, that is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser.
“This is going to be a good one,” said Dianne Sneed. “We have nine performers. It’s not lip synching or karaoke. They are singing. This show will offer a great variety of music. We’ve been practicing for months. It’s very entertaining. Even the end of the show will be very lively.”
The event brings together a unique blend of songs, laughs, and nostalgia into one unforgettable night of timeless songs, classic memories and feel-good fun live on stage.
“The variety of music goes anywhere from 1959 to 2024. It’s not a song from every year or every decade, just all through those years that we all remember. We’re going to see how many of you do remember,” Sneed said laughingly. “In between songs, we are going to be showing old commercials. It has been so thrilling and fun to go back and look at some of these. I’ve caught myself saying, ‘I forgot all about that one.’ I’ve really enjoyed looking up old commercials.”
Caring Hearts United is a local nonprofit that was founded in 2011, after the death of Louise McKeel. Her daughter, Melinda Breedlove, watched as compassionate hospice workers cared for her during those final days and felt a strong desire to give back by helping other hospice patients. She discussed the idea with her sister, Dianne, and the conversation spread and then, it grew into an organization that assists terminally ill individuals who are receiving hospice care in Warren County and surrounding counties.
“All the proceeds from this event go to Caring Hearts United to help us provide for hospice patients,” said Dianne. “We work with 14 hospice units. We let the nurses notify us if there is a need. Maybe the family has no insurance or maybe the insurance isn’t covering what they need. Maybe the head of the household is the one who’s ill and is terminal and all at once, there’s no paycheck coming in. If a nurse calls us with a need, we try and fill that need.”
For instances given: If the patient needs Ensure and can’t afford it, Caring Hearts United will buy a case of Ensure for them. If they need hospital bed sheets because their regular bed sheets won’t fit, those will be provided. Maybe they’re still driving back and forth for hospital check-ups and the family needs assistance with gas money, the organization provides gas cards. Maybe there’s family coming in and no money to buy groceries, the organization provides food cards.
“This is the part I like most about Caring Hearts United: there are five holidays out of the year – Valentine’s Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas – and we send out packages to all the patients that are connected to the 14 units. It always has something they can use, something that occupies their time, something that brightens their day, and something to munch on.”
Why do this?
“We want people to know that there are people out there thinking of them on those holidays. Lisa, I never realized how many people had no family left. We have nurses who come in and say, ‘I’ve got a patient who doesn’t have any family to come and visit.’ That nurse may be the only person that they have coming in to check on them through hospice. That tugs at your heart. Then, when you get ‘thank you’ cards back from them, those that do have family or even from family members, it’s special. You know you’ve made a difference.”
The effort does require financial assistance through fundraising efforts. For the Fourth of July package alone, Caring Heart United members generated and delivered over 800 packages.
“It’s a big chore, and it keeps us hoping all year long, but it’s very rewarding,” said Sneed. “At Christmas, we really go all out. We include lap throws, socks, etc. There’s quite a bit more in the Christmas package. At Thanksgiving, we try to go towards a family traditional package. Our Easter one is geared more towards spring and making them smile. That’s one of our favorite sayings, ‘Caring Hearts United, bringing smiles to hospice patients.’ It may be in the form of the package or in the form of helping the family out. We just want to make them smile, which is all we aim to do.”
Tickets are general admission: $20. The concert starts at 7 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 931-607-9462. More information can also be found on Caring Hearts United’s Facebook page. Tickets are not sold by Park Theater.