Laurie and Ted Bullerman pose for a photo at the Volkswagon Beetle van display in the hallway at the Worthington Event Center Saturday evening during the Sunset Hospice Cottage, Inc. annual banquet.
Susanne Murphy (center) poses with Jason and Holly Sieve Saturday evening inside the banquet hall for the 24th annual Sunset Hospice Cottage banquet.
A group of women clad in bell-bottoms, short skirts, fringed vests and flower dresses surround Dave Serrano to have their photo taken Saturday evening during the 24th annual Sunset Hospice Cottage banquet. The 1970s-era attire fit the theme of the evening, “Peace, Love and Compassion.”
WORTHINGTON
From tie-dyed hair bands to hippie wigs, form-fitting attire to round-rimmed shades, attendees at the 24th annual Sunset Hospice Cottage Banquet went all out with the 1970s-themed “Peace, Love and Compassion” fundraising event Saturday evening at the Worthington Event Center.
The filled-to-capacity ballroom featured shimmering silver strands hung from the ceiling, lava lamp style lights on the tables, light-up letters spelling out Disco above the stage, and fruity drinks served up in disco ball-shaped vessels.
The atmosphere was so on-point that Sunset Hospice Cottage President Susanne Murphy said they should have started the party at 3 p.m. instead of 5:30 p.m. When it was over, this year’s banquet raised a record-setting amount for the cottage’s endowment. On Monday afternoon, Murphy said they were still adding up the numbers.
She kicked off the evening welcome by sharing details of Worthington’s hospice cottage — the only one in Minnesota that isn’t owned by a government entity or medical facility — and the endowment created several years ago to ensure that people can live out their remaining days in peace and comfort.
Age, ethnicity, social status or the amount in your checkbook doesn’t matter, she said.
“Our goal is to never say ‘No.’ We worked long and hard to get an endowment to help those (in need),” she added.
Murphy spoke of the many services available to patients and their families during end of life care at the cottage, from medical care to pet and music therapy, overnight lodging for family members, and celebrations of birthdays and holidays.
“Our goal is for you to feel like family,” she said.
The annual banquet is the premier fundraising event for the Sunset Hospice Cottage. In addition to the sell-out crowd, funds were raised through live and silent auctions, a disco dance-off and the popular heads or tails in which people purchased beads and competed for a $500 grand prize. The winner gifted the money back to the cottage.
Other fundraising events are planned throughout the year, from bake sales to puzzle tournaments and home tours. The funds raised from all of those events go directly into the cottage’s endowment fund.
“Every single penny raised tonight stays local,” Murphy shared.
A benefactor of those local funds, Karrie Scholtes spoke about the care given to her husband, Douglas, a year ago during his brief stay at the cottage.
Joined by her children, Karrie said Doug entered the cottage on April 10, 2025, after months of being his caretaker at their Wilmont home following Doug’s diagnosis with terminal cancer.
The two had married in May 2010, and she said Doug was the type of person who would help anyone at any time. She’d even tell her coworkers if they needed something fixed, “I have a Doug, he can help.”
Karrie spoke of all of the people who came to their aid, and of the benefit for her husband in Wilmont.
“When things became too hard at home, (my friend) said ‘Go to the Hospice Cottage,’” she added. By that point, Doug didn’t have insurance because he was no longer able to work. “Susanne said, ‘Now you just get to be his wife again. We’ll take care of everything.’
“Hospice brought compassion and dignity back into our lives,” Karrie shared. “Because of your care, Doug could pass peacefully.”
The 1993 Worthington High School graduate died on April 17, 2025. Karrie said she was able to spend those last days at the cottage with him and their family.
“It was a safe and loving place for Doug,” she added.
Murphy said the evening surpassed everything she was hoping for as a benefit for the Sunset Hospice Cottage.
“The bidders were so generous, the committees had so much fun,” she said. “This was a spectacular event.”
Murphy said the more than 500 people in attendance were bonded during what was both a joyous and emotional evening.
“We all had something in common,” she said. “It didn’t matter about religion and politics and ages and status. Nothing mattered but being there for Sunset Hospice Cottage. I wish the world would find that peace.”
Donations can be made to Sunset Hospice Cottage at any time via mail at P.O. Box 203, Worthington.
“We worked long and hard to get an endowment. ...”
Susanne Murphy, president of Sunset Hospice Cottage, Inc.