Children's Holiday Music-Thon Raises Funds for Grieving Children
01/04/2016
MIAMI – VITAS Healthcare, the nation’s leading provider of end-of-life care, with help from Palm Beach County music teachers, hosted its 5th annual Music-Thon fundraiser on Saturday, December 19 at the Palm Beach Gardens Mall. More than 200 local music students and teachers came together to play, strum, tap and sing to raise money during the 12-hour-long Music-Thon, which directly benefits South Florida’s youth.
Raising Money for VITAS Community Connection and Camp VITAS
“The event raised thousands through pledges, sponsors and direct donations from the public during the Music-Thon which were donated to VITAS Community Connection (VCC),” said VITAS General Manager Susan Acocella, RN. “We are grateful for the community’s support and are committed to the patients and families we serve and enjoy giving back to others.” The VCC, established in 2010, is a non-for-profit foundation for VITAS employees, patients and families to donate funds to support special needs patients and families within their communities, as well as to help local, non-profit, health and medical organizations. The donated funds from the Music-Thon will help the VCC pay for full accommodations for 40 to 50 children to attend Camp VITAS—a free, overnight bereavement camp that provides support to children and teens who have lost a loved one—taking place in April 2016 at Camp Owaissa Bauer in Homestead, Florida.
“The Music-Thon is a festive event that brings people together,” said VITAS Music Therapist Thomas A. Dalton, LMHC, MT-BC. “For five years, we have been able to send more than 200 grieving children to Camp VITAS free of charge. VITAS recognizes children need special guidance after losing loved ones and the camp offers children and teens a safe environment while they learn new ways of coping with grief and finding support.”
VITAS Support Services
Grief support and music therapy are just two of the many services VITAS provides to its terminally ill patients and families. VITAS music therapists use the power of music to help heal and transform lives by helping to guide patients, family members including children, to express emotions through singing, playing instruments and/or songwriting. Additionally, VITAS’ trained bereavement specialists provide information about grief and facilitate support groups throughout South Florida.
A leader in the hospice movement, VITAS is committed educating the community about grief and providing resources to help children and families heal. For more information about Camp VITAS, call Thomas Dalton at 561.281.7948 or email Thomas.Dalton@vitas.com.
Second from left: VITAS Music Therapist Thomas A. Dalton, LMHC, MT-BC and the Broward music therapy team performing at the 5th annual Music-Thon fundraiser benefitting grieving children and teens on Saturday, December 19, 2015 inside the Palm Beach Gardens Mall in Florida sponsored by VITAS Healthcare with assistance from Palm Beach County music teachers.
VITAS Music Therapist Thomas A. Dalton greets a supportive crowd at the Children’s Holiday Music-Thon sponsored by VITAS Healthcare, the nation’s leading provider of end-of life-care, on Saturday, December 19, 2015 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
The VITAS team, from left to right, Volunteer Services Manager Gayle Stevens, General Manager Susan Acocella and Education Specialist Lyn Peugeot, came out to show their support for the 200 local music students who came together to play and raise money for Camp VITAS during the 12-hour-long Children’s Holiday Music-Thon on Saturday December 19, 2015 inside the Palm Beach Gardens Mall in Florida.
From left to right, VITAS Music Therapist Thomas A. Dalton, VITAS General Manager Susan Acocella, Maryann Rothschild and Joseph Labonte on Saturday, December 19, 2015 at the Children’s Holiday Music-Thon fundraiser benefiting Camp VITAS, a free, overnight grief camp for children taking place April 2016 in Homestead, Florida.
On Saturday, December 19, 2015 children with musical talents came together to help children at the 12-hour-long Music-Thon fundraiser hosted by VITAS Healthcare with assistance from Palm Beach County music teachers.
Local music students strumming to raise money that will benefit grieving children at the 12-hour-long Holiday Music-Thon hosted by VITAS Healthcare on Saturday, December 19, 2015.
Inside the Palm beach Gardens Mall in Florida, VITAS Healthcare, the nation’s leading provider of end-of-life care, hosted its 5th annual Children’s Holiday Music-Thon on Saturday, December 19, 2015, where children raised thousands through pledges, sponsors and direct donation during the event to benefit Camp VITAS, a bereavement camp that provides support to children and teens who have lost a loved one.
Local teen musician playing the piano for a crowd at the 5th annual Children’s Holiday Music-Thon sponsored by VITAS Healthcare, nation’s leading provider of end-of-life care, on December 19, 2015.
On Saturday, December 19, Palm Beach residents listened happily as 200 local music students entertained a gleeful crowd to support Camp VITAS during the 5th annual VITAS Healthcare sponsored Holiday Music-Thon inside the Palm Gardens Mall in Florida.
On Saturday, December 19, VITAS Healthcare hosted its 5th annual Holiday Music-Thon inside the Palm Gardens Mall in Florida where 200 local music students entertained a large audience to support Camp VITAS. Pictured are the goody-bags gifted to each student for their participation and support.