Heritage Park residents make cards every Thursday morning for VITAS Innovative Hospice Care

Every Thursday morning at Heritage Park of West Delray residents enjoy arts, crafts and the occasional chance to reunite with an old friend. After 65 years apart, two residents making cards for individuals in VITAS Hospice Care reunited at the Heritage Park independent living facility. In 1944 they had wedding portraits done in Baltimore. Helen Weissman, 92, and Edythe Shane, 93, paused briefly from making creative birthday cards to reminisce about the chance meeting and the downright lucky reunion. Weisman was making a “Happy Birthday” card complete with creative marker artwork and a visually appealing array of stickers, when she felt a tap on her right shoulder.

“I looked back and there was Helen. She said, ‘I remember you’… we hadn’t seen each other in 65 years. Then, I remembered and we reminisced,” Shane said.

They sat in the middle of a dozen women creating about 80 VITAS Innovative Hospice Care cards an hour. While putting the finishing touches on the greeting cards, the two women caught up on life.

“All those years and I remembered her right away. It’s vivid. We’re in a studio and we meet getting our wedding portraits done. I jogged Edythe’s memory and she remembers. I’m glad I tapped on her shoulder because now we’re dear friends,” Weisman said.

But, that’s not the only reunion happening at this weekly arts, crafts, and Hospice card-making event put on by activities director Robin Morgenstern and VITAS Hospice volunteer services manager Christie Geltz, who said she’s always looking for patient care or administrative volunteers.

“This is seniors helping seniors,” Geltz said.

Leonore Gerhsek, who’s also a resident at the independent living facility, recently reunited with Hospice through the card-making campaign.

“I used to volunteer at Hospice so this is nice to be helping an organization that’s just so dear to my heart,” Gershek said.

For more information call Robin Morgenstern at 561-499-7744 or Christie Geltz with VITAS Innovative Hospice Care at 561-364-1479, ext. 6332.

Robin Morgenstern (standing) teams with Leonore Gerhsek (right) to make a card for VITAS Innovative Hospice Care adult patients.