Patriotic Pride on Display at Hospice of the Chesapeake

Hospice of the Chesapeake’s Gallery 90 will take a decidedly patriotic turn as its halls and walls are adorned to pay tribute to Veterans and the gifted volunteers who honor them. The art gallery located throughout the nonprofit’s administrative building on the John & Cathy Belcher Campus in Pasadena welcomes the Maryland Public Television Salutes Vietnam Veterans Traveling Exhibit as well as the Patriotic Quilt Show.

The MPT exhibit has been making its way around Maryland since May 2015 to celebrate the military service of Marylanders during the Vietnam War. It will be open on the John & Cathy Belcher Campus from April 1 to 8 and features both current-day and wartime images of 16 men and women along with their recollections of incidents from the war. An artifact display includes items from the war. Also included is an opportunity for children to color pages to thank Veterans as well as stationary for visitors to craft messages to Veterans or share their own stories.

Also on display in Gallery 90 from March 25 to April 11 will be some fantastic examples of quilts donated to Hospice of the Chesapeake. Local quilting circles have provided hundreds and hundreds of quilts to give to Veterans as part of our Honor Salutes over the past several years.

There will be a unique opportunity to see the MPT display and quilt exhibit during the Meet the Quilters reception that will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. Friday, April 8. The reception will include docent-led tours of the quilts beginning at 2 p.m. and a reception with light fare, quilt raffles and a chance to vote on your favorite quilt from 4 to 7 p.m. This free event is open to the public.

Another opportunity to see some of the quilts and the MPT display will be afforded to Vietnam Veterans who attend Hospice of the Chesapeake’s free Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day celebration beginning at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, at the Hilton Baltimore BWI Hotel in Linthicum.

More than 25 percent of Hospice of the Chesapeake’s patients has served in the military, which makes the non-profit organizations commitment to Veterans a crucial part of their mission. The nonprofit recently was named a proud partner with the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. As authorized by Congress and on behalf of the nation, the commemoration is doing what should have been done 50 years ago -- thanking and honoring our Vietnam Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice.

To attend the Meet the Quilters reception or to schedule a private tour of the patriotic exhibit for your group, contact Kris Carpenter-Zyla at 410-987-2003, Ext. 1328, or kcarpenterzyla@hospicechesapeake.org. To attend the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day event, email veterans@hospicechesapeake.org or call 443-837-1508.

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Caring for life throughout the journey with illness and loss is the mission of Hospice of the Chesapeake. For more information, please visit www.hospicechesapeake.org.