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Couple give $50K to Hospice House - Article from the Harrison Daily Times

The Hospice House board of directors put out an appeal about 2-1/2 months ago that they were $100,000 short in their campaign to expand the facility. Last week, some of the those same officials said they are ready to break ground and start expansion of the Hospice House off the northeast corner of the intersection of the North Chestnut Street and East Sherman Avenue. Hospice House Board member Jerry Jackson said the money is in the bank; plans have been sent to the state; and local officials will break ground when the plan is approved in Little Rock.

Back in mid-April, the Hospice House Board announced it was $100,000 short of the almost half million dollars needed for an ambitious building project.  When completed, it will double the number of patient rooms from four to eight and add space for family members and staff. The entire $1 million project has been financed through donations. Jackson said a priority of the original building and expansion has been to keep a homey feeling in the building instead of the atmosphere of an institution.

Roger and Patty Harness came forward in early May and announced they were the anonymous donors of the $50,000 toward the project. Then last week, Roger and Marie Keith donated the remaining $50,000.

Friday morning, June 22, Margie wrote and handed a $50,000 check to Jackson and fellow board member Arie Britt.  But that wasn’t the couple’s first financial support for the Hospice House. Roger said he and his wife have been impressed with the Hospice House since moving to Harrison a few years ago.  Their names already are engraved on a brick in front of the building.

“Very few have not been touched by hospice,” he said. “On our final journey, we should be met by the best of humanity. There are personnel on board, medical staff and volunteers, who will be by our side on that journey and say it is a privilege to be by our side. I am very independent but have a soft spot,” he continued. “We made a decision and I’m proud of it. We realized this is serious, and we could meet the problem.”