BUTLER TWP — A welcoming sanctuary for visitors is tucked away in a small back room of the Visiting Nurses Association Hospice, Western Pennsylvania.

Created in an area once used for storage, the freshly-painted space features inviting chairs and warm cherry shelves stocked with books, stuffed animals and other decorative touches.

Named the Bob Schmieler Memorial Library of VNAHospice, Western Pennsylvania, the new addition to the VNA's grief services offers a form of bereavement care previously unavailable to residents in Butler and Armstrong counties.

The collection of 200 books includes subjects for adults and children and some aimed specifically at men or women. The collection also deals with a variety of causes of death, including miscarriage and stillbirth, disease and sudden death.

Jolene Formaini, a bereavement coordinator and grief educator for the VNA, said by allowing clients to take books home, she hopes to help those who do not take advantage of other grief programs.

"We have (support) groups for almost everybody, but groups aren't for everybody,"Formaini said.

Formaini said the idea to create a library first emerged six years ago. The dream began to take shape when she mentioned the idea to VNAvolunteer and grief services client Claire Schmieler.

Schmieler, who lost her husband Bob to cancer in 2005, made use of the VNA's support groups and bereavement programs to deal with the loss of her spouse.

She has also made it a priority to assist others, helping to start the Transitions support group, aimed at helping men and women dealing with the loss of a spouse.

"I have found that in my own journey, one of the things that has been really helpful is to help someone else," Schmieler said.

When Formaini told her of the library idea, Schmieler saw a way to contribute to her husband's memory.

"He was a teacher, and he would have appreciated that," she said.

Schmieler directed Christmastime donations to the library in 2006 and 2007, allowing Formaini to begin the library's collection.

With finances finally available, Formaini and another counselor at the VNA turned to the Compassion Books catalog to find books appropriate for all audiences dealing with many situations.

Most of the books are small and easy-to-read, an essential, Formaini said, since some grieving people have trouble focusing on extensive reading.

Finding books written in a variety of tones was also important to Formaini.

"Some of our books are faith-based, but a loss can really shake your faith," she said.

Finding funding to purchase books was only half the job however, as there was no designated space to host the library.

The answer to their needs came in the form of Neal Skibicki, a ninth-grade student at Butler Intermediate High School.

A member of the Boy Scouts, Skibicki took on the challenge of creating shelves for the book collection and designing a space for the library as a project to earn his Eagle Scout rank.

Skibicki learned of the project through his aunt, Cindy Clark, who works at the VNA.

The project entailed planning and designing shelves for the space, raising funds for supplies, and organizing friends and volunteers to help with painting and decorating the space and building the shelves.

"It had most of the characteristics of the (Eagle Scout) projects,"he said.

Afriend of Bob Schmieler's also contributed to the project, helping Skibicki get the cherry wood at a discounted rate.

Much of the work in the library space was done while Skibicki and his friends were on their Thanksgiving break.

Final details were wrapped up in late December in time for a recent dedication ceremony.

VNAvisitors using the library can sign out books and return them or mail them back to the Hindman Road offices.

Currently, there is no set time limit for returns and no overdue book fees.

In addition to allowing visitors to search for books that interest them, Formaini said her familiarity with the collection and the topics allows her to make suggestions.

She is also encouraging coworkers to familiarize themselves with the collection to further aid clients.

Though the library has just opened, Formaini already has thoughts of expanding the offerings, hoping to one day include audio books and multiple copies of popular titles.

In addition to the library and support groups, the VNA offers educational programs, youth camps and seasonal programs dealing with bereavement.

For information about the library or any of the VNA's bereavement programs, contact Formaini at 724-431-3520 or jformaini@vna.com.