Lights of Love Torch is Passed to Cornerstone VNA
Rochester, NH: The Frisbie Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Board is pleased to announce that it has passed the torch of their annual Lights of Love event to Cornerstone VNA, a local nonprofit home health and hospice care organization. Lights of Love, an annual event founded in 1986 by Jane Cooper Fall, welcomes community members to pay tribute to the people who have had a special impact on their lives. Lights of Love has continued to be an important community event due to the work of Jane and The Frisbie Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Board. Although Jane passed away in October 2018, her legacy will be continued with pride and honor by the Cornerstone VNA team.
Due to the recent acquisition of Frisbie Memorial Hospital by HCA Healthcare, The Frisbie Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Board enthusiastically agreed to transition the Lights of Love Celebration to Cornerstone VNA. Pam Verbicky, Frisbie Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Board President notes, “For over 30 years, Jane Cooper Fall was the driving force behind Lights of Love. Jane always said that Lights of Love was not a fundraiser but rather a way for community members to pay tribute to those who had touched their lives. Because community was so important to Jane and the role Cornerstone VNA has in the community, it is was an easy decision for the Auxiliary Board to transition Lights of Love to the VNA. We are confident they will run the program in accordance with Jane’s wishes for many years to come, thus providing a lasting legacy to Jane’s benevolence.”
For nearly 50 years, Cornerstone VNA has been very proud to have known Jane and celebrate her many accomplishments. In 1970, Jane became president of the Farmington VNA, which is now known as Cornerstone VNA. Over the years, Jane remained very involved with the VNA and even served on the Board of Directors until 1997. During Cornerstone VNA’s 100th year, Jane was presented with the 2013 Cornerstone Award for her dedication and years of service to the VNA. She also served for more than 50 years on the FMH Auxiliary, and received numerous awards for her volunteerism and outstanding service to health care in the community.
According to Dr. Bob Rubino, who has been involved with the event since its inception, “It was a great joy to me to learn that our Lights of Love Christmas program will continue because of Cornerstone VNA. In speaking to a few men in the chorus, they were delighted to hear that we will be continuing to ‘make music’ at the Christmas season, thank goodness!”
The 34th Annual Lights of Love Celebration will take place on December 2nd at the Frisbie Memorial Hospital Conference Center in Rochester, NH. According to Cornerstone VNA President/CEO, Julie Reynolds, RN, MS, “Due to Cornerstone VNA’s close relationship with Jane and The Frisbie Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Board, it is the perfect way to continue this annual tradition of celebrating and remembering the special people in our lives. We are grateful for this opportunity and to many of the Frisbie Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Board Members who will continue volunteering to support Lights of Love alongside our team.” Please visit cornerstonevna.org/lightsoflove for more information and to sign up to receive special event notifications.
Cornerstone VNA is a nonprofit organization currently serving Rockingham, Strafford, Belknap and Carroll Counties in New Hampshire and York County in Maine. The team at Cornerstone VNA provides award-winning care and support through five distinct programs: Home Care, Hospice Care, Palliative Care, Life Care-Private Duty and Community Care. For 107 years, Cornerstone VNA has been committed to bringing services to people of all ages so that families can stay together at home, even when facing the challenges of aging, surgical recovery, chronic or life-threatening illnesses or end-of-life care. To learn more about Cornerstone VNA, visit www.cornerstonevna.org or call 800-691-1133.
