Tree of Life
Wednesday, December 4, 2024
5:30PM
Livingston Deport Center
Join us for an evening of remembrance, music and community. Cellist Kyle Brenner and the Livingston Community Choir, singing the beloved "Angels Among Us," will lend their talents to this meaningful holiday event. As we remember loved ones and honor healthcare workers, the Tree of Life continues to reflect the heart of Livingston—a community built on compassion and support.
Thanks to the generous contributions of community members and local businesses, LHC Home Health and Hospice continues its legacy of compassionate care. Your support matters. Every contribution helps bring comfort to patients and peace of mind to families. For more information about donating or volunteering, please contact LHC Foundation Development Coordinator Anita Maxwell at 406.823.6710.
A Legacy of Compassion: The Tree of Life and Hospice in Livingston
For Marleen Anderson, it all began with a knock on the door. In 1985, a volunteer’s request for a donation introduced her to Livingston’s Gateway Hospice—a revolutionary care concept at the time. Deeply moved by the volunteer’s mission to provide terminally ill patients with compassionate end-of-life care, Anderson immediately donated and supported the hospice mission for years to come. Alongside community members like Julie Jardine, Jody Dowell and Tom Davis, Anderson helped foster Gateway Hospice’s growth into a sustainable method of care for residents of the Livingston area. Together, these committed volunteers also established the annual Tree of Life celebration—now entering its 35th year—a cherished tradition of remembrance for the Livingston community.
The Tree of Life celebration offers a meaningful way for community members to honor those they’ve lost and the healthcare workers who supported them. Held at the Livingston Depot Center on Wednesday, December 4 from 5:30–7:30 PM, the event allows anyone, regardless of financial contribution, to place a name on the tree in memory of a loved one or in honor of a healthcare worker.
Today, the LHC Home Health and Hospice department continues Gateway Hospice’s legacy, providing compassionate care to patients throughout Park and Sweet Grass Counties. The department offers a complete range of home health care—helping patients recover and regain independence after illness or injury—in addition to hospice care for the terminally ill. Serving an average of 10-12 hospice patients and 30-35 home health patients at any time, LHC Home Health and Hospice provides tailored services to meet each patient’s needs. The dedicated team—which includes 8 nurses, a social worker, a licensed clinical social worker, two spiritual care coordinators, a massage therapist and a home health aide—is supported by 15 volunteers.
Volunteers and donors remain vital to LHC Home Health and Hospice today, helping the team cover remote areas, provide companionship and perform tasks that enrich patients' lives. Whether in Cooke City, Livingston, Wilsall or the remote areas in between, volunteers offer essential support, from making blankets and phone calls to simply sitting with patients. “There is a continual need for anyone who wants to take part in the ways they can, whether it’s with time or funding,” says Nicki Walker. Walker also invites everyone to join the Tree of Life celebration this December, saying, “It’s a beautiful kickoff to the holiday season for our community and one we welcome everyone to attend.”
The Tree of Life ceremony continues to be a powerful reminder that no one is forgotten. Tom Davis, who has spoken at several ceremonies, once remarked, “It has been said that to dwell in the past keeps us from moving into the future. But I believe that remembering and honoring can lift the sunken spirit, help to heal a wounded heart and remind us that there is a future. It is a good thing we do—to remember and to honor.”
