HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hospice and HomeCare of Reno County is gearing up for its 24th annual Festival of Remembrance, the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year, set for Friday evening at the 1861 Club.
The event helps sustain operations at the Hospice House, one of the few remaining standalone facilities of its kind in Kansas. Administrator Darla Wilson said the funds raised stay entirely within the community, often going toward technology upgrades, facility improvements, and other needs to support patients at the end of life.
“Every dollar stays here,” Wilson said. “If you’ve never been to the house, it’s a home where you can feel at ease, knowing your loved one is cared for by experts.”
The evening will feature silent and live auctions, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and a raffle for a three-year lease on a Ford Maverick pickup donated by Mel Hambelton Ford. General Manager Phil Nightingale said the dealership has partnered with Hospice and HomeCare of Reno County for 15 years to provide vehicles for the fundraiser.
You can participate in the silent auction at this link Festival of Remembrance 2025
Raffle finalists will be selected in two rounds — five names were drawn Monday morning, with five more to be chosen Friday night from tickets purchased at the event. Each finalist will try a key, and the one that starts the truck wins.
The names drawn on Monday are:
Rebecca Gleason
Andy Sellers (had two tickets drawn)
Kim Schleich
Teresa Wagner
Advisory board member and Hutchinson Community College Athletic Director Josh Gooch said the festival is about more than prizes. “It’s an opportunity to support an organization that truly benefits the people of our community,” he said.