The legacy of Minnesota Twins great Harmon Killebrew continues to grow beyond baseball.
At the Twins game Saturday, which marked the anniversary of Killebrew’s death, his widow threw out the ceremonial first pitch. It also marked the second annual night at the ballpark event to raise money and awareness to build Minnesota’s first hospice home for children, something Killebrew was very passionate about.
Killebrew spent his final days in hospice, FOX 9 reports. In honor of him, the nonprofit Children’s Lighthouse is working to open the first hospice home for children in the state by the spring of 2015.
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Currently there are 9,000 families in the state that are in need of hospice and respite support.
“Regular hospices will accommodate them to some extent, but they don’t have the facilities to take of the kids and their families. And sometimes the parents just need respite,” Nita Killebrew, Harmon Killebrew’s widow, said, according to WCCO.
The organization hopes to raise $10 million to build the hospice home, FOX 9 says. The Harmon Killebrew Hospice Home for Kids Fund is currently raising money to support the cause, and organizations have agreed to match whatever donations the fund gets for the next week.
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