VNA of Franklin to host Gathering of Music Nov. 12 for National Hospice Month

FRANKLIN — The Visiting Nurse Association of Franklin will present its annual musical concert for the benefit of its Hospice Program on Sunday, Nov. 12. This program, titled the “Gathering of Music,” is held the second Sunday of November every year but the venue changes year to year.

This year’s program is being hosted by the Tilton-Northfield United Methodist Church, 440 Main St., Tilton. The Rev. Tobias Nyatsambo, coordinator of the event for the VNA, said, “November is National Hospice Month. The VNA of Franklin’s Hospice program, along with Clayton Bushman, on behalf of the Lakes Association of Churches, presents this program every November to support and to honor the hospice program. Traditionally, hospice programs have been mostly self-supporting through fundraising efforts and this is one of those efforts. However, we also honor the hospice program with this afternoon of music, as hospice offers such an important means of support to patients and their families who are dealing with a terminal illness.”

In addition to the musical program, a memorial service will also be held.

“This gathering also gives us the opportunity for a memorial service to remember our Hospice patients who have died over the past year," Nyatsambo said. "We have invited their families to attend and will have a simple but meaningful ceremony to remember their loved ones.”

The program begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 12, and runs for about an hour and a half. Refreshments will be served at the end of the program and a free will donation in support of the hospice program will be taken.

“This is a program for the entire community,” said Nyatsambo, “and we hope that everyone will come and enjoy an afternoon of fine music provided by the area’s talented pool of church musicians. It’s a great way to kick off the holiday season.”