A Message from
David Selberg
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Dear friends,
We are feeling the momentum and magic of our "in-person" events as we move through 2023, and it is really a pleasure to see old friends and meet new ones. Hospice of Santa Barbara is truly a family--and families need to gather together to share stories, laugh, cry, hug and create that special "place". Events are also a very personal way to share the stories of those we work with every day.
Nearly 100 people attended the Shining Light Society Reception "Sip, Savor & Art" earlier this month at Helena Mason Art Gallery in the Funk Zone. It was a beautiful event, and we thank Natalie Olivas and Jamie Sanchez for providing such a lovely venue. It is also with immense gratitude that I mention Dr. Judy Osterhage and her powerfully honest and raw recounting of the loss of her son, Sam, and the intense and very personal journey she and her family experienced. She moved us all deeply and modeled bravery and healing that we can all learn from. We were honored that Hospice of Santa Barbara was able to help her and her family members move through their grief. If you are interested in joining our Shining Light Society, please reach out to Charles Caldwell at ccaldwell@hospiceofsb.org.
Our next event, The Light Shines Ahead, is coming up soon! We hope to see you at the luncheon to support Compassionate Care of Carpinteria on Wednesday, May 31, at Rincon Beach Club in Carpinteria. We have some very special guests and speakers, and this year’s event will have a focus on remembering loved ones who have passed away and their impact on our lives. Guests will be provided with an opportunity to donate and support the wonderful work of CCC in the name of their loved ones, helping bring programs and services, completely free of charge, to adults, children and seniors who are struggling with grief or life-threatening illness. Guests are also invited to bring a photograph of their loved ones to place at their table. Music will be provided by Carpinteria's own guitarist Hector Hurtado. We also have some exciting Opportunity Drawing prizes. See below for information about these items and how to purchase Opportunity Drawing tickets. You don't need to be present to win, but we would love to see you there. Tickets to the luncheon are still available through tomorrow (Sunday) and can be purchased here.
We are changing things up slightly at this year's Heroes of Hospice Luncheon. This year, the event will be held on a Sunday (September 10, 2023) and we are holding it at the Rosewood Miramar. We are excited about some of the new directions this event will take including some special recognitions. Stand by for more information on this annual gathering including those we will honor as Heroes!
And, of course, our Light Up A Life events, to honor our loved ones who have died during the holiday season, will cap off this year with ceremonies in Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Goleta and Montecito.
We look forward to seeing all of you at our events this year as we lead into our 50th Anniversary in 2024!
Be well,
David Selberg
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Photos from the Shining Light Society Donor Appreciation Reception:
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The Light Shines Ahead
Compassionate Care of Carpinteria's
Opportunity Drawing
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Our Opportunity Drawing is now open! Donate for a chance to win from the following:
- Care & Compassion Basket #1 (donated by Glass House Farms, Pacific Stone Brand and Autumn Brands)
- Chris Gocong's Abstract Painting (donated by Mandy & Chris Gocong)
- Care & Compassionate Basket #2 (donated by Roots Dispensary and Maire & Pat Radis)
- Jennifer Meyer 18K Yellow Gold Mini Heart Necklace (donated by Jennifer Meyer)
- Cyndi Connolly Watercolor: Looking Up Linden (donated by Cyndi Connolly)
- Fiesta Package that includes two reserved seats for La Fiesta Pequeña, a poster and pins (donated by Kim Gutierrez and Old Spanish Days)
Deadline to purchase tickets online is May 29th.
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Watching My Friend Pretend Her Heart Isn't Breaking
by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
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On Earth, just a teaspoon of neutron star
would weigh six billion tons.
It’s the collective weight of every animal
on earth. Times three.
Six billion tons sounds impossible
until I consider how it is to swallow grief—
just a teaspoon and one might as well have consumed
a neutron star. How dense it is,
how it carries inside it the memory of collapse.
How difficult it is to move then.
How impossible to believe that anything
could lift that weight.
There are many reasons to treat each other
with great tenderness. One is
the sheer miracle that we are here together
on a planet surrounded by dying stars.
One is that we cannot see what
anyone else has swallowed.
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Volunteer Spotlight:
Ann Smithcors
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It is with a combination of sadness, gratitude, and great respect that we share the news that Ann Smithcors, our longest serving volunteer, passed away peacefully at home with her children, Mark and Lynn, at her bedside.
Many of you may remember that Ann was honored last November for her 40 years as an HSB Volunteer. She faithfully served and gave so much to so many in our community, as a Patient Care, NODA, and Bereavement Volunteer. She often expressed how grateful she was to the many patients and families who had enriched her life, but Ann was truly a gift to those whose lives she touched over her many years with us. She was a complete joy and beloved by HSB staff and everyone who knew here and, even though illness, demonstrated her absolute commitment to our mission and those we serve.
She was born to Kathleen and Ronald Jackson January 26th, 1934, in Chorlton England and baptized March 29th, 1934, at St. Michael & All Angels Bramhall Parish Church. She grew up in England with her sister Sheila Heap. She had many wartime memories, was a Rose Queen, had many adventures in Girl Guides, was a Queen’s Guide (one of three in England), went youth hosteling, played tennis, and swam. She obtained her nurse’s training at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, commonly known as Barts, in London in 1953. She practiced midwifery in Cambridge and Sale, England, delivering more than 200 babies.
Selfless, generous, kind, thoughtful, a big heart, a giver of life, a source of inspiration, passionate, and brave were just some of the traits that highlighted her personality. Ann was a strong woman who faced every challenge in her life with courage and dignity. Ann touched the lives of so many people and will be deeply missed by everyone.
Maya Angelou’s once said, “If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded.” By this standard, Ann was successful beyond measure.
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Happy work anniversary to
Gloria, Gwendolyn, Monique, Rev. Rohm, Fernanda, and Adriana!
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Thank you to Gloria Michel, Gwendolyn Kilfoyle, Monique Bloedau, Rev. Kristen Rohm, Fernanda Friden and Adriana Marroquin for all of your contributions to Hospice of Santa Barbara! We are eternally grateful for the dedication and passion of our staff.
To learn more about our wonderful staff, please visit our website.
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Gloria Michel, ACSW, Bilingual Bereavement Counselor, celebrates her one-year anniversary.
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Gwendolyn Kilfoyle, AMFT, Bereavement Counselor, celebrates her one-year anniversary.
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Monique Bloedau, AMFT, Bereavement Counselor, celebrates her 2-year anniversary.
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Rev. Kristen Rohm, MDiv, Spiritual Care Counselor, celebrates her 4-year anniversary.
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Fernanda Friden, Bilingual Care Coordinator, celebrates her 5-year anniversary.
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Adriana Marroquin, Community Initiatives Manager, celebrates her 5-year anniversary.
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News from our
Advance Care Planning Programs
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Get It Done SB! (GIDSB) and Mi Regalo (MR) are HSB’s Advance Care Planning (ACP) initiatives, focused on bringing awareness and education in both English and Spanish to ensure that all of our community members know and have a completed Advance Directive.
Need to “Get it Done?!” Join us for our upcoming Advance Care Planning workshop in collaboration with B’nai B’rith!
Part one of the workshop will explain the importance of the document, what it is asking, and how to select a healthcare agent. Part two of the workshop will help participants complete their document and offers a free notary to legalize the document. Only need notary services? RSVP to attend the second date of any of our workshops!
RSVP today by contacting Julia Barrera at 805-563-2576 or emailing CommunityACP@hospiceofsb.org.
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Thank you for all that you do to support our work!
It is a remarkable privilege to witness the difference we make for those we serve on a daily basis. It is only through your generosity that we can accomplish all that we do and will in the future.
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Phone: (805) 563-8820
Fax: (805) 563-8821
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