Hospice which actually has four levels, the last of which involves hospitalization, usually focuses on keeping a terminally ill patient at home and providing the comfort and care they need to have quality of life. Hospice teams are comprised of an RN, LPN, licensed social worker, spirtual care givers, home health aides and volunteers.

This team of specialists comes into your home providing care, relief for caregivers, and special equipment such as oxygen and hospital beds. Most people associate hospice care with cancer patients but it also involves people with heart problems, diabetes, and any other terminal disease. The guidelines for beginning hospice usually are 6 months before the predicted date which is very unreliable.

The hospice sends its members out to educate the community since they do not advertise their services. For the past year Heartland has been serving the Brainerd area out of St. Cloud, but they will soon be opening a local office.

Volunteers are trained to offer support, companionship, and practical caring help to the families dealing with a terminal patient. If you would like to volunteer contact Suzanne. Besides answering all of our questions, Suzanne and Alice gave everyone a can coozie to take home.

Aaron Thomas Photography is one of the new businesses located in the Franklin Arts Center. Thomas runs the business with his wife Anna and they do creative and traditional portraits of families, grads, children and weddings and are available for creative commercial photography.

Thomas shared his most embarrassing moment which involves an ability to blurt out the wrong thing to new customers, so he focuses on the working side of the business along with customized designed artwork. They started their business in October of 2005 with the BHS Holiday Ball and then went on to the Prom last year also.

Previously they were located in Omaha and Kansas City. He remarked, "We love the energy at the Franklin Arts Center and enjoy being part of the great pool of talent there."

Lori Rubin was his sponsor and so far he is helping out with the general tasks of pipe and drape/flags and just waiting for someone to need his help on a committee. He and Anna have been friends for 15 years but married only for 6. He enjoys photography, golf, biking kayaking, the great outddors and reading. Welcome to Sertoma Thomas.

• According to Dave Burggraff, Ann Sherman isn't running for District Three County Commissioner she is running from Bob. Welcome back to Sertoma Bob, too bad the microphone decided to be difficult when you were campaigning.
• Pam enjoyed being part of the gambling consortium today--Mike Boen sold over 20 Viking Books because they came with cheap gas from Fleet Farm (nobody was impressed though since that is the price on the sign).
• Jeff Marchand was given the business for picking up something last week. Some people thought it might be a communicable disease but it was actually a marriage license. Congrats Jeff!
• Mark Korte wants to vote on whether Bryan Jelinski has held up well after twenty five years of marriage.
• Welcome back Jeff Kozitza and Ron Morris.
• Did you know that Dale Bolt has a degree in fashion merchandising?
• Julia practiced up today for next year--our illustrious president was missing in action.