The annual Remembrance Tree ceremony is set for Sunday, December 2, at 2 p.m. at the EKU Center for the Arts.
The event is a long-standing tradition for the community, bringing hundreds together on the first Sunday in December for 25 years.
The Remembrance Tree ceremony gives the community a chance to remember loved ones during the holiday season by placing a personalized memorial ornament on a remembrance tree. Hospice Care Plus sponsors the event as part of its bereavement program, which provides grief support services to the community.
“Our bereavement program has always recognized that the holidays can be a hard time for people who’ve lost loved ones, even when those losses aren’t recent,” says Chasity Coleman, director of development at Hospice Care Plus. “It’s a time of year when their absence is felt so strongly, yet there isn’t a built-in way to acknowledge that hole they’ve left behind. The Remembrance Tree seems to do that for people. It gives us an outlet for those feelings.”
After an opening prayer and holiday music, the ceremony continues with the reading of memorial names. Guests place their personalized ornament on the Remembrance Tree when they hear their loved one’s name. If the person who requested the memorial ornament is unable to attend, a Hospice Care Plus staff member will place it on the tree for them.
After the ceremony, the ornaments will be taken to Hospice’s Compassionate Care Center and placed on the Center’s Christmas tree. Guests who wish to take their personalized ornament home with them may do so immediately following the ceremony, or they can claim them at the Compassionate Care Center anytime between December 6 and 31.
Anyone can request a memorial ornament. There is no fee for ornaments, but a donation–of any size–is encouraged. To request an ornament, visit our secure site, call 859-986-1500 or 1-800-806-5492 during business hours, email hospice@hospicecp.org, or visit the Facebook event page. Proceeds from the ceremony cover the cost of the ornaments and help fund all programs offered by Hospice Care Plus.
Hospice Care Plus is a non-profit organization serving Estill, Jackson, Lee, Madison, Owsley, and Rockcastle counties. Services include hospice care, palliative care, bereavement outreach, and hospice inpatient care at the Compassionate Care Center. All services are provided regardless of ability to pay.
Hospice Care Plus empowers those we serve to enjoy the highest quality of life, respecting their values, beliefs, needs, and goals through specialized care, education, resources, and grief support.
Our Service Area:
Our Home Hospice and Home Palliative Care programs serve you, wherever you call home, in the Kentucky counties of Estill, Jackson, Lee, Madison, Owsley, and Rockcastle.
Our inpatient care facility, the Compassionate Care Center, and administrative offices are located in Richmond, Kentucky.
Recent News:
Rockin’ Derby Eve Benefit Friday May 2
News & Events

Volunteer Training March 2
In-Person Volunteer Training March 2 Hospice Care Plus is hosting an in-person training for new volunteers on Saturday, March 2, 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, at the Madison County Public Library in Richmond. Register today to secure your spot! Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Mariah Smith, volunteer coordinator, says the in-person, group training has a…

Grief During the Holiday Season
The holiday season can be a uniquely difficult time for those grieving the loss of a loved one. A 2021 survey of 2,000* U.S. adults indicated that 36 percent of respondents didn’t want to celebrate the holidays because of feelings of grief or loss. The reasons vary widely from person to person and among age groups. The…

Remembrance Tree Ceremony 2023
QUICK FACTS: When: Sunday, December 3, 2 PM Where: EKU Perkins Building, 4436 Kit Carson Drive, Richmond, KY 40475 Why: Whether your loss was recent or not, the holidays are a time when those we’ve lost are especially missed. Who: All are welcome to participate, regardless of whether we cared for your loved one. What does…

BID2GIVE Charity Auction is LIVE
The 2023 BID2GIVE Online Charity Auction benefiting Hospice Care Plus is now live. This year’s auction features more than 140 items, including UK and EKU sports packages, cabin and pontoon rentals, fall décor, antiques, and much more. Visit the auction site to see items, read descriptions, and place your bids. You will need a Ford…