Big Bend Hospice opens new resale boutique benefiting local families Friday
At Big Bend Hospice (BBH), every decision we make is guided by our commitment to serving families across North Florida with compassion and care. For more than 40 years, we have been a cornerstone of support for patients with advanced illnesses and their loved ones.
Today, I am proud to share an exciting new chapter in our story: the opening of Oak Tree Treasures, a resale shop located at 3260 Mahan Drive in Tallahassee. Created for those who appreciate thrift and are passionate about supporting Big Bend Hospice, Oak Tree Treasures embodies our mission of ensuring every family has access to the highest quality hospice care, regardless of financial barriers. All proceeds directly support our hospice services and therapeutic programs, bringing comfort and dignity to families during life’s most challenging moments.
“We are thrilled to welcome the community to our new Oak Tree Treasures location in Tallahassee,” said Amanda Gustafson, Executive Director of Big Bend Hospice. “This new space supports the vital, compassionate care that Big Bend Hospice provides to individuals and families across the region. Oak Tree Treasures is more than just a store—it’s a place where people can shop, give, and volunteer, all while contributing to the goal of helping every individual in our community live each day with dignity, meaning, and purpose at the end of life.”
Since 1983, Big Bend Hospice has served the communities of Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla counties. In recent years, we have expanded our services to meet growing needs. From the opening of the First Commerce Center for Compassionate Care at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare to the launch of Seven Oaks Health, our new parent company, and the growth of Transitions Supportive Care, our palliative program, we’ve taken bold steps to ensure that families across the region have access to comprehensive, compassionate care. Oak Tree Treasures offers a new way for the community to engage with and support our mission.
Every purchase at the store funds services like grief support and music therapy, allowing supporters to make a tangible impact while discovering unique treasures. Chloe Bassham, Assistant Retail Operations Manager, has firsthand experience with Big Bend Hospice, as several of her family members received care from the organization. This experience inspired her to join BBH and support its mission. “The mission of Oak Tree Treasures, and its support of Big Bend Hospice, was an important factor in my decision to work here,” Bassham shared. “The position also allows me to use my creativity and skills to give back to the community.”
Bill Wertman, MSW, is the CEO of Big Bend Hospice and Seven Oaks Health. For more information about Oak Tree Treasures and how you can support Big Bend Hospice, visit oaktreetreasures.org or call 850-671-6000.
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.