SCV Hospice celebrates 35 years of supporting the SP community

January 27, 2016
Santa Paula News

Santa Clara Valley Hospice/Home Support Group celebrated supporting the community at its times of need at its 35th Annual Meeting held last week at Flight 126 Café.

What’s not to like about Hospice, said longtime Hospice supporter and former Board President Elias Valdes.

“Is there a more superior calling of taking care of not just the physical needs but the emotional needs of those dealing,” with a life-threatening illness by offering support to the patient and caregivers.

“Who takes care of those emotional needs? We do,” he added.

Valdes introduced former longtime Hospice Board President Cathy Barringer, a Hospice co-founder.

“Without her and the persons she got involved,” said Valdes, “it never would have happened 35 years ago,” when Hospice started.

Barringer briefly spoke of the organization’s beginnings and the ensuing community support. 

Hospice assists a wide range of clients with life-threatening and age related decline and their caregivers through a variety of always free services and programs.

Client visits, respite care, referrals, medical transport, bereavement care and counseling for physical, emotional and spiritual needs for the client, family and caregivers is also available as is sickroom/medical equipment loaners, a library of books, CDs and films, and other items. 

Hospice also supports discussions of vital end of life issues and concerns for the client and family.

Hospice noted Valdes is a volunteer organization with little paid staff.

“It’s a calling, a calling,” and he joked for volunteers, “The work is good…but the pay...”

Valdes introduced several people in the audience including former board members.

Hospice service said Board Director Victor Espinosa, relies almost exclusively on volunteers, several of whom were honored for their dedication to the Hospice mission.

“Santa Paula really has a hidden secret with Hospice, which provides so many services,” all free of charge with funding garnered through fundraisers, donations and grants but no government money.

The featured speaker for the 35th Annual Hospice Meeting was Dina Ontiveras of the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging who presented a program on fall prevention. 

Following the program Espinosa noted, “We want to express special recognition to Sigrid Wong,” the Hospice coordinator for her dedication to the day-to-day operations of the organization and its mission as well as making sure luncheon tables were decorated with fresh flowers she arranged and her daughter’s famed carrot cake was ready to be cut and served.

Valdes said in high school he co-wrote a play titled “No Man is an Island” that dealt with working together.

“Everybody here, each one of you is what makes Hospice work…each one of you makes it happen.”

Hospice Board President Rachel Bustillos closed the meeting noting, “Hospice will continue to grow…”





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