“Home Plate II” for the Children’s Lighthouse of Minnesota and the Harmon Killebrew Hospice Home for Kids Fund.
We had a wonderful volunteer opportunity for the second year in a row at “Home Plate II” for Children’s Lighthouse of Minnesota and the Harmon Killebrew Hospice Home for Kids Fund. The event was held last Friday, January 17th at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Minneapolis, MN.
Harmon Killebrew experienced the value of hospice care himself and one part of Harmon’s legacy is the support of hospice care for children. He and his wife Nita were involved in early efforts to create a children’s hospice in the 1990’s and he frequently made hospice and hospital visits.
Harmon Killebrew poses by his statue at Target Field in Minneapolis, MN.
There are only three hospice homes for children in the United States and there are none in the entire Midwest. The efforts from this wonderful evening will go towards building the first residential respite and hospice home for children with a shortened life expectancy and their families.
The big announcement on Friday night was that Children’s Lighthouse, Ridgeview Medical Center and the City of Chaska are working on a partnership to build the home in Chaska, Minnesota!
The event was MCed by Brian “BT” Turner of K-TWIN radio (96.3) and there were musical performances from Kristen Bark, Kambrie Prochaszka and Nick McDonnell with director Joshua Cambell and accompanist Kevin Werner Holstein from Ashland Productions. The live auctioneer was the always fun and entertaining Glen Fladeboe from Fladeboe Auctions.
Great jazz music was performed by The Reid Kennedy Quartet during the social hour and silent auction. And there was also a nice display of MLB and Minnesota Twins memorabilia courtesy of the Minnesota Twins and Curator Clyde Doepner. Former Twins Tony Oliva, Jack Morris and MLB Hall of Famer Paul Molitor were the players in attendance on Friday night.
This is a wonderful cause and Joannie and I are pleased to help spread the word with our photography. Thank you to Katie Lindenfelser and Nita Killebrew for asking us to help out on this very important event for children and to further help our friend Harmon’s legacy.
A very special thanks to Jeff Arundel for giving his permission to use his song “Harmon Killebrew” in my highlight video. Enjoy the highlights of this important event. And if you have a few dollars laying around and want to help an incredible, worthy cause, please consider a donation and/or getting involved to help these kids and their families! Thank you!
You can view highlights from last years event here and from the 2013 Summer Music Festival here.