Hospice of Suffolk honors loved ones through annual tree-lighting ceremony
By Jennifer Donatelli
The Visiting Nurse Service & Hospice of Suffolk (VNSHS) hosted its 34th annual Hospice Trees of Light ceremony on Nov. 17, honoring the memories of loved ones lost in the past year.
The event, held at the VNSHS headquarters in Northport, drew community members for an evening of reflection, music and remembrance. Silvia Cota, CEO of VNSHS, addressed the audience, emphasizing that hospice care is about more than medical support.
“It’s about compassion, dignity and the deep connection we share with those nearing the end of their life,” Cota said.
The Northport Pipe and Drum Band performed “Amazing Grace” as hospice volunteers read more than 470 names of individuals honored during the ceremony.
“This was an evening of celebration, joy and remembrance,” said Connie Alexander, director of patient services.
Bonnie Gruber, hospice support services coordinator, described hospice as “a program for those who have a terminal illness with a prognosis of six months or fewer,” with the goal of meeting the physical and emotional needs of patients and their families. VNSHS provides bereavement services for the patients families, as well, for up to 13 months after a loved one’s death. Gruber added that preparing for the first holiday season without a loved one can be especially difficult, and that is precisely why VNHS provides events like this during this time of year.
Many attendees spoke of the comfort this tree-lighting ceremony provided. Mary Slappay of Deer Park attended the night for the first time to honor her husband of 35 years.
“The Visiting Nurse Service made the last 24 hours of his life comfortable and peaceful and gave me the tools to cope with his death,” Slappay said.
For others, this was not their first visit to the ceremony. A Kings Park resident. Janice Slott, has attended the event for two years. In 2023, she honored her son Greg Sill, a Smithtown history teacher who died unexpectedly, and this year returned to honor her husband of 53 years.
“I promised myself I was going to come and honor him, and wasn’t going to cry,” Slott said.
Father Edward Sheridan, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua in Northport and St. Francis of Assisi in Greenlawn, gave the invocation, calling for unity in prayer. “No matter what our faith is, we pray for those souls who have gone before us to a place of light, happiness and peace,” Sheridan said.
Rabbi Marcey Wagner, who delivered the benediction, spoke about finding hope amid darkness. “Times of darkness can suddenly lead to rebirth when the light of the beautifully lit trees shines through,” Wagner said.
“This time of remembrance is an opportunity to celebrate their lives, the lessons they taught us and the legacies they left in our hearts,” Alexander concluded.
For more information about the Visiting Nurse Service & Hospice of Suffolk visit visitingnurseservice.org.
