Robinson: Local community rallies to raise funds for free hospice clinic

ROBINSON, Texas (KWTX) - Hospice care workers and the Robinson community hosted a garage sale on Saturday in hopes to raise funds for the first free hospice care clinic in Central Texas.

Sandy Ellis has worked in hospice care for more than 25 years. She says especially in Central Texas, the need to provide free hospice care isn’t just an issue, it’s a lifelong dream.

“There’s no freestanding hospice inpatient facility in this area,” she said.

“You have to go to Austin or Dallas. I always wanted to work at one and many of us on my staff did. Dr. Jeff Bates was the medical director at the time, and it was his vision too.”

That’s why they partnered with The Lord’s Work in Robinson to start converting a small cabin on church property into a hospice care clinic, hosting a garage sale with dozens of clothes, luggage and even live music to enjoy.

“First, we plan on using the building as a thrift shop or resale shop,” said Organizer Jeff Bates.

“Then, once we have a little bit of traction from the community to raise funds, I think we can spend around $100,000 to renovate the cabin and then, it could be a three-bedroom hospice house.”

So far, they’ve raised more than $50,000 towards their $100,000 goal. If successful, they also hope to add five other hospice clinics around the Central Texas area in the next few years. With a lot of work and money to raise, Ellis says she’s thankful for the support so far and will continue chasing that dream until it’s fulfilled.

“I can’t stop it because it’s my passion,” she said.

“I believe that everybody deserves to die with dignity and respect and that doesn’t happen a lot.”

Anyone who’d like to make a donation can find more information on The Lord’s Work website.

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