Pine Tree Hospice hosts 29th Annual Variety Show
DOVER-FOXCROFT — On a rainy, dreary Saturday in April, the volunteers of Pine Tree Hospice presented the group’s 29th Variety Show and created a little sunshine at the Center Theatre for the 100 attendees.
The corps of volunteers ran the show from greeting attendees to taking tickets to selling tickets for the quilt raffle to running the first annual pie faffle. The Annual Variety Show, a major source of funding for the group’s volunteer-based non-medical support services, raised nearly $8,000. This money is used to enable the non-profit’s family services to be provided free of charge to residents of Piscataquis County and some surrounding Penobscot and Somerset County towns.
“The Variety Show is something people really look forward to each year,” stated Kristen Wortman, Pine Tree Hospice director. “There’s not enough things a whole family can attend together that is just for fun. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. It’s local talent doing what they do to help their community. It’s a tradition, part of the fabric of this town.”
‘ALL ‘ER NUTIN’ — Singers Will Carey and Alana Cassinelli perform the duet “All ‘Er Nuthin” from the upcoming production of “Oklahoma!” at the Center Theatre, during the 29th Annual Pine Tree Hospice Variety Show on April 26 at the theatre.
The performance featured local talent including Beth Weatherbee’s Tiny Dancers, Bluegrass trio The Timberdoodles, young singer-songwriter Noah Jayne Heathmore, local musical legend Susan Ramsey, a duet from the upcoming production of “Oklahoma!” performed by Will Carey and Alana Cassinelli, and the ever-popular and slightly outrageous “geriatric” comedy antics of the Q-Tips (long-time friends Judy Dow, Jayne Sharrow and Barb Austin).
The beautiful, heirloom quality quilt, handcrafted by Helen Higgins, was won by a lucky ticket holder who was present in the audience to claim it. Tom Lizotte emceed and moved the show along with Maine wit and good humor.
The pie auction, a new feature for 2025, was organized and run by the self-styled “Dessert Divas”, volunteers Cathy Hall and Sharon Imbert. After some lively bidding and repartee with the audience, eight lucky bidders went home with an amazingly delicious treat. The pie auction contributed over $400 to the total, but was also a bit of a show in itself as bidders vied to claim one. The pie auction was so well received that it could become a regular fundraising feature at other Pine Tree Hospice events.
PIE BIDDING — Tom Lizotte emceed the show with Maine wit and humor, including the pie auction where eight lucky bidders went home with a delicious treat. Lizotte was ably assisted in the lively bidding by “Dessert Diva” Cathy Hall and her co-pie committee member Sharon Imbert.
For more information on becoming a Pine Tree Hospice volunteer, contact director@pinetreehospice.org or call the office at 207-802-8078. Training sessions for new volunteers are scheduled for late May.
GERIATRIC ANTICS — Perennial comedy favorites, The Q-tips (Judy Dow, Jayne Sharrow and Barb Austin) brought down the house with their “geriatric” antics, like their Biker Chick routine which closed this year’s Pine Tree Hospice Annual Variety Show.