Events & Happenings
Adult Volunteer Training
September 16 & 18, 2025
8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
McCreary Family Professional Center
526 Pine Mountain Road, Hudson, NC
September 23 & 25, 2025
8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
AMOREM Palliative Care Center
137 Moonstruck Lane, Boone, NC
September 30 & October 2, 2025
8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
AMOREM Valdese Administrative Building
1721 Enon Road, Valdese, NC
Are you looking for an opportunity to make a difference? Do you have the compassionate spirit needed to be a companion for someone’s journey? AMOREM is hosting three opportunities for a two-day training session in September and October for adults who are interested in becoming hospice volunteers.
An array of topics will be covered to help prepare attendees to become successful volunteers. Participants will learn about the strong community history and commitment of AMOREM, the physical, spiritual, and psychosocial issues hospice patients face, and much more from AMOREM's staff of end-of-life care experts.
Currently, there is a need for volunteers to provide companionship to patients in the patient’s homes or long-term-care facilities. Other specific needs include volunteers who can provide transportation to doctors’ appointments and shopping excursions for patients, etc., and veterans to visit and make Veterans Honoring Veterans presentations to patients who are veterans.
Attendance is required at each session and meals will be provided. For more information or to register for the September 2025 adult volunteer training opportunity, contact us at 828.754.0101 or contact Cyndi Akins at cakins@amoremsupport.org.
Compassionate Connections:
Healing Together
VALDESE
September 29-October 27, 2025
Mondays from 2 to 3:00 p.m.
BOONE
September 30-October 28, 2025
Tuesdays from 2 to 3:00 p.m.
LENOIR
October 1-29, 2025
Wednesdays from 2 to 3:00 p.m.
Healing Together support groups are sponsored through Ashewood Grief and Counseling Services, grief support services of AMOREM, and are among the many opportunities offered to help individuals of all ages and families cope with the loss of people they love. Healing Together is a general loss grief support group for adults who have experienced the recent death of a loved one or close friend. Our time together will focus on making compassionate connections with others who are also grieving the death of a loved one. There is no cost to participate, but registration is required. Contact Kimberly Setzer at ksetzer@amoremsupport.org or 828.754.0101 for more information or to register.
Compassionate Connections:
Good Grief Meals
HIGH COUNTRY SERVICE AREA
October 1, 2025
3:00 p.m.
Cracker Barrel, 1601 Blowing Rock Rd., Boone
CALDWELL COUNTY SERVICE AREA
October 2, 2025
3:00 p.m.
Mi Carreta Mexican Grill, 1146 Hickory Blvd., Lenoir, NC
BURKE COUNTY SERVICE AREA
October 3, 2025
3:00 p.m.
Abele's Family Restaurant, 2115 S. Sterling St., Morganton, NC
The Good Grief Meal is sponsored through Ashewood Grief and Counseling Services, grief support services of AMOREM, and is one of many opportunities offered to help individuals of all ages and families cope with the loss of people they love. The Good Grief Meal is a time of fellowship and socialization for individuals who are grieving. AMOREM reserves meeting space and participants are responsible for the cost of their own meal. Locations and times are subject to change. Please verify before attendance. Please RSVP to Katie Pekman at kpekman@amoremsupport.org for Burke Service Area, Nichole Annas at nannas@amoremsupport.org for Caldwell Service Area and Lola Benfield at lbenfield@amoremsupport.org for High Country Service Area. You may also call 828.754.0101 with any questions.
Advance Care Planning Workshop
October 9, 2025
1:30 p.m.
Caldwell Senior Center
650A Pennton Avenue SW, Lenoir, NC
AMOREM and the Caldwell Senior Center will partner to offer an Advance Care Planning Workshop at no cost to the community on the second Thursday of each month. The workshop will be held October 9, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. at the Caldwell Senior Center in Lenoir.
Advance Directives: Living Wills and Healthcare Powers of Attorney are gifts to your family. Deciding, discussing and documenting your healthcare wishes helps ensure your healthcare wishes are known and honored. It also gives you peace of mind that you have made appropriate preparations. Notaries and witnesses will be available to help anyone who wants to complete their documents at the clinic. Space is limited and registration is required. For more information, or to register, call 828.758.2883.
Living with Grief: Improving Dying
On Demand through October 29, 2025. Register by September 30, 2025.
AMOREM, your local, non-profit hospice and palliative medicine provider will offer Hospice Foundation of America’s (HFA) annual Living with Grief® Improving Dying, on demand through October 29, 2025. Registered participants will receive a program link, downloadable handouts, and a payment code for 2 continuing education credits, if desired.
The 2-hour program highlights interventive, creative, and adjunct evidence-based strategies used to assist dying patients and their intimate networks find meaning, value, and comfort. End-of-life care providers from across the country will share insights into programs such as pet therapy, art and music therapy, and the use of virtual reality, which improve the dying experience, offering patients and their networks enhanced quality care, an improved perception of care, and the amelioration of grief. Hospice providers, in turn, may benefit from satisfied clients, recognition in their communities, and enhanced staff morale.
Frank Sesno, former CNN anchor, will lead the panel of noted authorities that includes: Kathleen Benton, DrPH, MA; Karen Cassidy, BSN, MSN, MBA, EdD; Teresa Holstein, BSN, RN, CHPN; Theresa Jennings, LMPT; Hannah Righter, MT-BC; Roberta P. Rook, MA, LCPC; Shelley Wagener, MDiv; Jennifer Ward, LMSW, and Teri Yarbrow, MS, MFA.
This program will be practical for individuals and all levels of professionals—entry level, intermediate or advanced. The information provided will be useful to healthcare clinicians, social service clinicians and others working in hospice, palliative care, counseling, hospital, nursing home, funeral home or faith community environments. 2 hours of continuing education credits are available at no cost to participants until October 29, 2025, through HFA for nurses, social workers, counselors, clergy and more. For HFA’s list of board approvals, go to https://www.hospicefoundation.org.
The complimentary presentation and CE credits are provided as part of the community grief support services of AMOREM because of their belief that it can improve quality of life. Registration is required by September 30, 2025. To learn more about this program or to register, contact Lisa Caviness, director of public relations, at 828.754.0101 or lcaviness@amoremsupport.org.
Compassionate Connections:
Good Grief Meals
HIGH COUNTRY SERVICE AREA
November 3, 2025
3:00 p.m.
Mike's Inland Seafood, 174 Jefferson Rd., Boone
CALDWELL COUNTY SERVICE AREA
November 6, 2025
3:00 p.m.
Mayflower Seafood, 303 Blowing Rock Blvd., Lenoir, NC
BURKE COUNTY SERVICE AREA
November 7, 2025
3:00 p.m.
Boulevard Barbeque, 810 S. College St., Morganton, NC
The Good Grief Meal is sponsored through Ashewood Grief and Counseling Services, grief support services of AMOREM, and is one of many opportunities offered to help individuals of all ages and families cope with the loss of people they love. The Good Grief Meal is a time of fellowship and socialization for individuals who are grieving. AMOREM reserves meeting space and participants are responsible for the cost of their own meal. Locations and times are subject to change. Please verify before attendance. Please RSVP to Katie Pekman at kpekman@amoremsupport.org for Burke Service Area, Nichole Annas at nannas@amoremsupport.org for Caldwell Service Area and Lola Benfield at lbenfield@amoremsupport.org for High Country Service Area. You may also call 828.754.0101 with any questions.
Advance Care Planning Workshop
November 13, 2025
1:30 p.m.
Caldwell Senior Center
650A Pennton Avenue SW, Lenoir, NC
AMOREM and the Caldwell Senior Center will partner to offer an Advance Care Planning Workshop at no cost to the community on the second Thursday of each month. The workshop will be held November 13, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. at the Caldwell Senior Center in Lenoir.
Advance Directives: Living Wills and Healthcare Powers of Attorney are gifts to your family. Deciding, discussing and documenting your healthcare wishes helps ensure your healthcare wishes are known and honored. It also gives you peace of mind that you have made appropriate preparations. Notaries and witnesses will be available to help anyone who wants to complete their documents at the clinic. Space is limited and registration is required. For more information, or to register, call 828.758.2883.
Compassionate Connections:
Good Grief Meals
HIGH COUNTRY SERVICE AREA
December 3, 2025
3:00 p.m.
Cracker Barrel, 1601 Blowing Rock Rd., Boone
CALDWELL COUNTY SERVICE AREA
December 4, 2025
3:00 p.m.
Mi Carreta Mexican Grill, 1146 Hickory Blvd., Lenoir, NC
BURKE COUNTY SERVICE AREA
December 5, 2025
3:00 p.m.
El Maiz Mexican Food, 414 Carbon City Rd., Morganton, NC
The Good Grief Meal is sponsored through Ashewood Grief and Counseling Services, grief support services of AMOREM, and is one of many opportunities offered to help individuals of all ages and families cope with the loss of people they love. The Good Grief Meal is a time of fellowship and socialization for individuals who are grieving. AMOREM reserves meeting space and participants are responsible for the cost of their own meal. Locations and times are subject to change. Please verify before attendance. Please RSVP to Katie Pekman at kpekman@amoremsupport.org for Burke Service Area, Nichole Annas at nannas@amoremsupport.org for Caldwell Service Area and Lola Benfield at lbenfield@amoremsupport.org for High Country Service Area. You may also call 828.754.0101 with any questions.
Advance Care Planning Workshop
December 11, 2025
1:30 p.m.
Caldwell Senior Center
650A Pennton Avenue SW, Lenoir, NC
AMOREM and the Caldwell Senior Center will partner to offer an Advance Care Planning Workshop at no cost to the community on the second Thursday of each month. The workshop will be held December 11, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. at the Caldwell Senior Center in Lenoir.
Advance Directives: Living Wills and Healthcare Powers of Attorney are gifts to your family. Deciding, discussing and documenting your healthcare wishes helps ensure your healthcare wishes are known and honored. It also gives you peace of mind that you have made appropriate preparations. Notaries and witnesses will be available to help anyone who wants to complete their documents at the clinic. Space is limited and registration is required. For more information, or to register, call 828.758.2883.