Minnesota Funeral Home Donates to Good Cause
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home, a client of FDLIC's in Litchfield, Minnesota, has recently donated funds toward a chapel for Meeker Memorial Hospital serving the Litchfield area. "We recognize the spiritual aspect in the ministry of healing the whole person, body, mind, and soul," said Mr. Mike Boyle, Executive Director of the Meeker Memorial Hospital Foundation. "That is why we felt the need to include a chapel in our renovation project. Ann Konietzko, who was the president of the Litchfield Area Ministerial Association (LAMA) at the time, helped us with fundraising and put us into contact with Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home."
"When we learned through Ann (Family Services Coordinator) that the hospital was raising funds for a chapel, we knew we wanted to be involved," said Ray Bartlett, funeral director and manager at Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home. "And then Shirley Klitzke (Pre-Arrangement Specialist) brought to our attention that FDLIC provided matching funds for charitable donations through your Helpers of People program. All the pieces were just falling into place."
The funds that Johnson-Hagglund donated went toward a very special part of the project--the stained glass window. "The focal point and centerpiece of the chapel," Mr. Boyle explained. "It is a custom-made stained glass window, unique in the world. Johnson-Hagglund came forward and said they wanted to help by donating toward the stained glass window. With the match coming from FDLIC, that brought all the funding in to make it possible to purchase the stained glass."
"The former owner of the funeral home recently passed away," said Mr. Bartlett. "When his wife came through the chapel to view the stained glass, she was very touched. She and her husband had exchanged necklaces with doves on them. She said the dove depicted in the stained glass reminded her of the doves they had exchanged. It was very appropriate, then, that our contribution went toward the stained glass."
FDLIC is proud and honored to work with firms such as Johnson-Hagglund and the many others who are continually giving back to their communities in very tangible ways. Mr. Bartlett also expressed his gratitude for FDLIC, saying, "I just want to say that it's a phenomenal thing that FDLIC is doing through this program. It's an additional way your company helps us help the people in our community. It's one thing to offer excellent support and service when we call in--but then to go above and beyond with a program like this and offer a monetary contribution that actually benefits the people in our community--it's remarkable. We know that many people will be blessed by this chapel, and we thank you for being a part of it."
"Our hope is that this chapel will bring comfort and healing to people of all faiths in their time of need," Mr. Boyle concluded.