Annual event is fundraiser for Hospice Satilla
As autumn colors begin to sweep across the South Georgia landscape, the Hospice Satilla Board of Trustees welcomes the community to an evening of compassion, celebration, and fellowship at the 14th Annual Silver Bowl Gala.
The fundraising event will be from 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, November 12, at the Littlefield family home, 929 Carrie Drive in Waycross. It’s a residence filled with treasured memories, family history, and a very personal connection to Hospice Satilla.
The Silver Bowl Gala is a public event with no ticket or formal invitation required. Guests are encouraged to arrive with a “Heart for Hospice” and contribute any amount to the traditional silver bowl at the entrance.
Every donation helps Hospice Satilla provide compassionate end-of-life care to patients and families in our community.
The Littlefield home began its story in 2002, when Dan and Laurie Littlefield searched for the perfect place to raise their young sons, Luke and Stape. Dan, a lifelong Waycross resident, wanted to remain in Ware County where he and his brother, Dave, owned Littlefield Construction.
They found the perfect spot in what was formerly Reid’s pasture. After studying Southern Living plans and traveling throughout the region to visit model homes, the couple found a home in Jacksonville, Fla., that captured their imagination.
With help from a home designer, they transformed those ideas into plans for their home. Stetson Builders of Waycross brought those plans to life. Dan took particular interest in designing the stunning pool area and the keeping room overlooking the pool – a space that would become one of the family’s favorite places to gather with friends and loved ones.
Laurie, meanwhile, added her own special touch, working with Robin Cauley of Lott’s Furniture to create the home’s warm, traditional Southern style. Pieces throughout the home tell the story of generations.
Featured antiques are a walnut breakfast-room table and rose-back chairs that belonged to her greataunt in Chesterfield, Va.; her great grandmother’s sewing machine; and her stepfather’s oak end tables. The home is also is filled with original works of art friends have given Laurie over the years.
But, the Littlefield family’s connection to Hospice Satilla goes much deeper than opening their doors for this year’s gala.
Not long after Laurie retired from education, her mother-in-law developed health issues that required hospice care for two years. It was during that difficult season that Hospice Satilla entered the Littlefield family’s life.
Laurie witnessed firsthand the care her motherin- law received, an experience she never forgot. Later, she faced an extraordinarily difficult chapter of her own.
Her mother and husband were both experiencing serious health issues, and in the midst of it all, Laurie was diagnosed with breast cancer. As she navigated her own diagnosis and treatment, she was also caring for two of the people closest to her.
When her mother and Dan eventually needed hospice care, Laurie remembered the support her mother-in-law had received and reached out to Hospice Satilla. Her mother and Dan entered hospice care on the same day and remained in Hospice Satilla’s care for approximately a year.
For Laurie, Hospice Satilla's support meant she never had to shoulder caregiving responsibilities “I only have praise for them,” she said. “If you needed them, they were here. If you needed your social worker or a chaplain, they were here. If I needed someone on the weekend, I could call them, and they were here.”
The nurses became especially close to Dan. They genuinely enjoyed spending time with him, forming a meaningful relationship that comforted both Dan and Laurie.
For Laurie, their compassion and willingness to support the family offered reassurance during a difficult time, as she balanced her own health journey while caring for her mother and husband.
“As a caregiver, it made my life easier to know that Hospice Satilla was there to support us,” Laurie said. “Having that support system throughout hospice was so meaningful.”
Today, her breast cancer is in remission, and she’s embracing a new chapter of life.
She enjoys morning devotionals in the keeping room Dan helped design and traveling abroad to places like Barcelona, Amsterdam, Africa, and Ireland. Photographs from the trips now mingle with family pictures and loved ones throughout the home, creating a beautiful reflection of a life filled with people, places, and memories.
This fall, Laurie will opens that home to the community in support of an organization that has played such an important role in her family’s story.
Silver Bowl Gala guests will enjoy music by local pianist Cyndi Etheridge on the Littlefields’ antique baby grand piano, along with treats from Heavenly Delights by Gina.
Most importantly, guests have an opportunity to support Hospice Satilla and its mission of providing physical, emotional, and spiritual care to patients and families, regardless of ability to pay.
Hospice Satilla serves Atkinson, Bacon, Brantley, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Pierce, and Ware counties. The community’s generosity makes this care possible.
Those unable to experience the November 12 event who want to support the future of Hospice Satilla can mail contributions may be mailed to Hospice Satilla, 808 Evergreen Way, Waycross, 31501. For more informatio n, call (912) 285-2340.
Candice Moody-Rice is a member of the Hospice Satilla Board of Trustees.
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