Bellingham, Wash.-based Birch Equipment last week announced it will donate more than $100,000 to support construction of the Whatcom Hospice House, a state-of-the-art facility that will provide hospice care to terminally ill patients and their families. The move reinforces the company’s commitment to supporting community health care needs through both long-term involvement in the Whatcom Hospice and St. Joseph Hospital Foundation Boards and financial support of both organizations.
“I have seen first-hand the benefits of Hospice, so I am well aware that this project will touch every family in our organization, not to mention the community at-large,” said Sarah Rothenbuhler, Birch Equipment owner and general manager.
Currently, Whatcom Hospice provides services to more than 100 patients every day. While most patients have an available and able caregiver and an appropriate setting in which the patient can remain at home until the end of life, for others home is not a good option. For these patients a hospice house is a more desirable alternative.
The Whatcom Hospice House will have 12 private rooms with access to a private patio overlooking a peaceful wooded setting. Each room will also contain a sleeper sofa, so family members can stay with patients whenever and as often as they like. A groundbreaking event earlier this month kicked off the construction phase of the project. The Hospice House is expected to be completed by summer, 2010. For more information about Hospice House, visit www.WhatcomHospiceHouse.org.
Birch Equipment is an independently owned construction equipment and sales company in the Pacific Northwest and Southeast Alaska. With a diverse customer base of contractors, home owners, manufacturers and heavy industrial, Birch carries a large, varied and well-maintained rental fleet. Birch Equipment has stores in Bellingham, Anacortes and Mount Vernon, Wash., and Sitka, Alaska.
