CASPER, Wyo. — A lone non-bearing wall was the sacrificial center of attention on Thursday morning for a promising new future in grief care in Casper.

“This is going to be Wyoming’s first grief care center,” said Central Wyoming Hospice & Transitions Executive Director Kilty Brown as she addressed people from the hospice board, staff and supporters, as well as architects and construction crews all packed into a stripped nondescript former lobby.

Central Wyoming Hospice purchased the single-story brown brick building at 245 S. Fenway recently with the intent of converting the structure into a counseling center with a mission of helping Casper residents cope with grief, depression and loss. The roughly 7,000-square-foot building, located just a block from their main facility, was previously used for various purposes by the Wyoming Medical Center. It will be completely gutted and rebuilt inside.

During the raucous event, various people involved in the projects took turns donning construction hats and glasses and swinging heavy hammers into the doomed drywall in the former office building.

During her talk, Brown said the center began to realize over the years that the community is underserved when it comes to resources for grief.

“When we talked to families, people who had lost loved ones, 76% of them had experienced depression or anxiety, and about 56% had lost enjoyment in the things they loved, and then about 8% admitted that they were having feelings of self-harm,” she said. “That’s not something we can tolerate.”

Central Wyoming Hospice launched its grief care service in August 2023, with help funds from the American Rescue Plan Act issued during the pandemic. It opened in a temporary office at 111 S. Jefferson St. and plans to move into its customized facility on Fenway next summer.

Hospice Business Developer Liaison Taryn Houser says that counselors follow and assist families who use hospice for 13 months after their loved one has died. “It’s not just a call here and there, it’s really checking in on them every month, seeing what support they might need, sending letters, getting them through the first holidays, birthdays, and the date of their passing,” she said. “The plan is that they can come here if they need services, and we’ll have a lot of different services here.”

Houser said the center will be open free of charge to anyone in the community, not just for families who have gone through hospice care.

Brandon Daigle, director of development and president of MOA Architecture, told the assembled crowd that everyone in the community has likely been touched by hospice and their work. “Projects like this are really important to MOA,” he said. “We consider this to be a socially relevant piece of architecture. It’s not a huge project, but it has a very significant impact.”

The current lobby near the building’s front entrance will remain a lobby, but will have a warmer, residential feel, he said. “This will be more like a living room, with a fireplace and nice reception space,” he said. “We really tied to keep as much natural daylight and introduce a whole bunch of new windows into the space.”

One wing will house counselors offices, a new break room and group session rooms, while another section will house staffing and operations. A chapel space will also be built into the new design, he said.

John Griffith, vice president of Sletten Construction, echoed their connection to the hospice operation. “This is more than just a project for us,” he said. “Every single person on our team, myself included, has had family members in some way or another touched by hospice.

“This project is exciting for our community.”

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KINGSTON — There was perhaps no other way it could have ended for Wyoming Area.

Lyla Rehill netted a goal in overtime to push Wyoming Area past Lake-Lehman, 3-2, victory at Wyoming Valley West on Wednesday, clinching the District 2 Class 1A championship and wiping away the pain of the past.

“There’s no better victory than a victory with sudden death,” Rehill said. “It feels great.”

During a Warriors penalty corner, Rehill received a pass from Lucia Campenni. The Wyoming Area senior made a move with her stick, beat a defender laterally and whipped the ball into the net.

Coach Bree Bednarski called the eventual game-winning corner play in the team huddle before the overtime period began.

“We knew, if we ended up with a corner, to go with that one,” Bednarski said. “We all trust Lyla. She has great hands in there.

“We just wanted her to make something happen and she did.”

It wasn’t an easy road for Wyoming Area.

Lake-Lehman built a two-goal lead, beginning with a score from senior Bella DeCesaris.

DeCesaris took advantage of the Black Knights’ first penalty corner opportunity, receiving a pass from Sage Morgan and turning it into a 1-0 lead with 9:52 left in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, both teams aggressively pursued possession in the center of the field. Neither team definitively gained much ground, forcing DeCesaris to take matters into her own hands.

Lake-Lehman drew a foul and DeCesaris quickly restarted play, finding Alexa Thompson on a long pass that switched the field. Thompson, a sophomore, sent a bouncing shot inside the far post to put her team up, 2-0.

Although their number of set pieces was much lower than their opponent’s, the Black Knights were efficient with their opportunities. Lake-Lehman drew just two corners, compared to Wyoming Area’s 19, and converted their only two shots into goals.

“They’ve come so far. When we think of how we played in August and how we’re playing now, we have traveled far and wide,” Lake-Lehman coach Jean Lipski said.

With its season on the line, Wyoming Area came out of the halftime break with a newfound fervor.

The Warriors drew nine penalty corners — many of which came in the aftermath of previous corners — allowing them to keep a constant presence in the opposing penalty circle.

Finally, Ainsley Flynn capitalized off an assist from Campenni, scoring Wyoming Area’s first goal with just 25 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

“We just had to hope that eventually one of them would trickle in and work out for us,” Bednarski said. “It was us trying to focus on: what are our options? What’s open? We’re so thankful that they got it going.”

Lake-Lehman began the fourth quarter shorthanded, after it picked up a yellow card late in the third quarter. The Black Knights saw two yellow cards and a green card over the course of the match.

“It’s very difficult when one player is off the field for 12 minutes,” Lipski said. “That’s hard, but we knew it was going to be a battle.”

The penalty corner opportunities continued to work in the Warriors’ favor, as Campenni redirected a cross from Flynn and scored an equalizer for her team with 11:19 remaining in regulation.

“We practice a lot with crossing balls,” Campenni said. “I always practice being on the post, so it felt good to finally be there and get it.

“I didn’t care if I scored. Anyone could’ve scored it. It just meant so much to tie the game up.”

Wyoming Area was dealt a green card late in the fourth quarter, forcing it to enter overtime shorthanded. However, shortly after they returned to full-strength, the Warriors drew a penalty corner.

Almost a year to the day from its overtime heartbreaker against Lackawanna Trail in the district final, Rehill scored to etch this Wyoming Area squad into the record books.

“We were down, 2-0, and we just didn’t let it get to us,” Campenni said. “Last year, when we got scored on, we spiraled down. This year, we (felt) like we have nothing to lose now.

“Today was about avenging that loss.”

It was an emotional scene following the final whistle, tears of joy and relief, and disappointment and frustration, were shed all around the field.

As their teams lined up for the medal ceremony, Rehill and Lake-Lehman senior Sophia Lenza shared an emotional hug by the team benches. After collecting themselves, they walked arm-in-arm to join their teams.

“It’s an experience much more than just the field hockey game. We become a family and that’s why this hurts so much,” Lipski said. “We wanted to play into November. We wanted to be together, so that’s hard.

“I’m having trouble finding words now, usually not hard for me.”

With the win, Wyoming Area clinched a spot in the PIAA tournament, but it also clinched the first undefeated regular season in program history.

The team finished 16-0 in the regular season, before winning both of its district playoff games.

“It’s a great achievement for the girls. I’m so proud of them,” Bednarski said. “They were the ones working out on the field, everyone on the sidelines; the energy was there. I’m just so happy for them.”

Next, the Warriors’ attention will shift to the state playoffs, where they will aim to continue their winning ways.

Wyoming Area’s first-round matchup will be played Tuesday, though its opponent has not yet been announced.

“To know that only one team gets to come from out of this great district, it means so much,” Campenni said. “We proved we can play with the big dogs, even though we’re just some small public school from Pennsylvania.”

First: DeCesaris (LL) from Morgan, 9:52; Second: Thompson (LL) from DeCesaris, 1:16; Third: Flynn (WA), 0:25; Fourth: Campenni (WA) from Flynn, 11:19; Overtime: Rehill (WA) from Campenni, 8:40; Shots-corners: WA 7-19, LL 2-2; Saves: Muniz (WA) 0, Sorber (LL) 4.

Originally Published: October 30, 2024 at 11:51 PM EDT