JUNE2020

Member Newsletter

FriendsofHospiceSanAntonio,Inc.,P.O.Box40487,SanAntonio,TX78229Phone:210.785.5850‐Fax:210.785.5851‐GingerCave—210.785.5852

WebSite:www.friendso hospicesa.org

BoardofDirectors2019‐2020ExecutiveCommittee

Lois Armor President

Melinda Schultz President Elect

Suzan Taff VP Education Programs

Rita Bragg VP Membership

Sandy Ryan VP Marketing

Marlene Richter Secretary Gis King

Treasurer Derrick Dodge

Ruth Willoughby Members at Large

Betty Ferrell Immediate Past President

BoardofDirectorsJo Marie Camero

Rozana Corbo Stacey Darr

Pat Donegan Sue Dullnig

Adana Hilkemeier Linda Jacobs

Liz Jauer David Johnson

Julie Norton Keidel Carol Kumler

Stephanie McNeal Jennifer Mueller

Julie Norton Keidel Esther Pipoly Kay Sandidge Shary Smith

Mary Lou Vielock Becky Walker Janet Wernli

Rexanne Wier Barbara Williams Kenda Willoughby

Ginger Cave

ExecutiveDirector/Editor

2019-2020 PRESIDENT’S REPORT – LOIS ARMOR

It has been such an honor to serve as President of Friends of Hospice this past year. Working with the board of directors as we achieved our goals, was such a rewarding experience. We raised funds and educated the community about the need for hospice. In 2019, our Uninsured Hospice Pa ent Fund at the CHRISTUS Health Founda on benefi ed 66 pa ents with 1,430 days of hospice care.

One goal was to increase our membership to 475. We did reach 415, but we also had some very dedicated members pass away this year. Their contribu ons in support of our organiza on will be greatly missed.

What a wonderful Fall Coffee we had at the San Antonio Garden Center on October 7, 2019. Members were encouraged to bring their friends to enjoy the wonderful food provided by our Board and hospitality commi ee and to consider membership. There were 75-78 of us in a endance enjoying the beau ful fall weather, fellowship with other Friends, and enjoying the background piano

music from Joshua Frilling. Chaplain Julie Woody gave an inspiring talk about a pa ent to explain our mission of helping uninsured hospice pa ents. A big THANK YOU to Co-Chairs Carol Kumler and Rexanne Weir for a job well done. We did get new members to join that day. Mission accomplished!

Jo Marie Camero and the hospitality commi ee worked with the Bereavement Coordinator at CHRISTUS VNA Hospice to host a memorial service for families that lost a loved one during the past year. The families are always so grateful for the refreshments and for the me to fellowship with other grieving families.

Another major goal was to raise $175,000 for uninsured hospice pa ents. The funds come from memberships, grants and special events.

The largest of our fundraising events, the Poinse a Ball, took place at the Grand Hya on December 12, 2019. Co-Chairs Be y Ferrell and Melinda Schultz diligently worked with their commi ee to have a wonderful holiday celebra on. The beau ful Ball invita on artwork was painted and designed by

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Mary Overstreet. Copies of her artwork were sold that evening. The honoree, The Robert Tucker Hayes Founda on, represented by Pa y and Bob Hayes, was recognized for the large gi s given in support of the mission of Friends of Hospice. The Nash Hernandez Orchestra kept the guests on their feet and on the dance floor all evening. The band played a variety of music from big band swing to Mexican cumbias and line dancing. Ruth Willoughby and Diana Ridgway had deligh ul centerpieces at each table that contained peppermint and red poinse as with gli er garnishes. They sold most of the centerpieces that evening. In addi on, each guest couple or single received a gi of a poinse a plant to take home and enjoy. A

special thank you to commi ee members Rita Bragg, Rozana Corbo, Derrick Dodge, Sue Dullnig, Pat Donegan, Linda Jacobs, David Johnson, Stephanie McNeal, Lupita Medina, Jennifer Mueller, Beverly Pace, Marlene Richter, Diana Ridgway, Sandy Ryan, Kay Sandidge, O’Lene Stone, Mary Lou Vielock, Janet Wernli, and Barbara Williams for their hard work.

Other events taking place in December included the Angel Tree Project and the donor holiday cards to honor family and friends. Founda ons donated to Friends of Hospice a total of $32,000. We are so apprecia ve of the many founda on’s trustees for their support.

We par cipated in Champions Fore Charity sponsored by Valero. Despite the Texas

Open being canceled, Friends was able to raise over $3,557 with an addi onal 7% donated by Valero.

We ended 2019 with a $50,000 dona on to the Friends of Hospice Uninsured Hospice Pa ent Fund of the CHRISTUS Health Founda on. This was made possible by the proceeds from the Poinse a Ball, Holiday Card, Angel Tree and grants.

Congratula ons are in order for LouAnn Noll and Shary Smith for organizing and successfully comple ng an awesome Valen ne Luncheon at the San Antonio Country Club Ball Room February 8, 2020. Net proceeds of the luncheon were more than $30,000 for uninsured hospice pa ents. The auc on commi ee, Joanne Cox, Stacey Darr, Be y Ferrell, Pa King, Bev-erly Pace, and Kenda Willoughby with the support of the board of directors pulled off another auc on that made $14,000. The raffle, with 4 items this year, made a nice profit. Underwriter Julian Gold pre-sented the fashion show with its lush colors and silky fabrics in casual and formal wear. Friends’ members Billie Bailey, Julie Bray Pa erson, Barbara Chumney, Sally Forester, Linda

Jacobs, Heather Mar n, Mary Overstreet, Bonnie Reed, Jane Willenberg, Barbara Win-ship and Arlene Wueste were asked to model, along with professional models. Major in-kind donors were Julian Gold, Lois Armor, Beverly Pace, Ginger Cave, Rebecca Davis, LouAnn Noll, St. Anthony Hotel, Fairmount Hotel, Meadow and Total Wine. The day of the luncheon about 30 volunteers helped greet, register guests, sell raffle ckets, assist the models, checkout auc on winners, and clean up the auc on area. Con nue to page 4

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Special Gi s as of May 27, 2020 MAJOR DONORS MichaelM.PeacockFoundation

CherylandJohnSchool ieldCharitableFundoftheSanAn-tonioAreaFoundation

CONTRIBUTORS

RichardE.Goldsmith

AnitaandJerryLindner

YourCause

IN MEMORY OF KayeArneckeNancy Joseph Dee Wilson, Renee and Tracey DavidBergMary Lou Lamphear TerryBrantleyClara and Tom Chumney Dr.DickBrusenhanLollie Brusenhan Dr.RonaldCalgaardTookie Spoor LewisFoxMary Ruth and Barry Welch Rev.MalfordHierholzerBonnie & Covington Rodgers JohnH.KingIIIGis King BruceMewborneYvonne Webbles DickNevittPatrice and Bill Fitch RudyRismanLollie Brusenhan MargaretRyan,PHDGis King

SoerenGis King RogerTolarSr.Carolyn Tolar IN HONOR OF 46thWeddingAnniversaryGis King

Champions Fore Charity Sandy and Jerry Allison

Lois Armor

Joanne and Swen Borg

Ann and Rick Brawner

Ginger and Mike Cave

Margaret and Charles Cusenbary

Stacey and Paul Darr

Pat and Craig Donegan

Sue and Richard Dullnig

Be y Ferrell

Donna and Mark Gilger

Sandra Groves

Linda and Philip Jacobs

Liz and David Jauer

Pa King

Linda Kiolbassa

Laura and Weir Laba

Stephanie McNeal

Sarah Morlang

LouAnn and Wayne Noll

Julie Norton Keidel

Beverly and Don Pace

Camilla Parker

Cecil and Bill Scanlan

Kathy and Tom Schlegel

Tookie and David Spoor

O’Lene Stone

Valero Founda on

Mary Lou and Bob Vielock

Barbara and George Williams

Ruth and Bob Willoughby

DONOR RECOGNITION by Ginger Cave

In 1991 when I started working with

the Friends of Hospice San Antonio,

Inc., I was ready to jump in and help. I

had just lost my Dad to cancer and

witnessed first-hand how hospice

helped my parents.

All aspects of the fledgling

organiza on, which was the vision of

Tookie Spoor and other Charter

Members, needed to be established. A

board of directors was selected with

Vicky LePere as the first President.

Goals were set to build the

membership, raise funds for the

uninsured hospice pa ents, and help

educate the community about a new

concept of staying in your own home

at the end-of-life.

Over these nearly 30 years, the

membership con nues to support the

organiza on, over 4 ½ million dollars

has been raised for uninsured hospice

pa ents, and the public has received

many opportuni es to learn about

hospice care.

Without the support of our

members and donors, we would not

have survived the difficul es of the

economy and major shi s in the health

care community. With the changes

ahead of us, non-profits need help

again to survive.

Friends of Hospice will be coun ng

on you for your membership renewal

and dona ons. Depending on the safe

gathering situa on, we are hopeful to

have our Fall Membership Coffee in

October and our special events in

December.

However, if the pandemic con nues

to influence safe gatherings, we need

you to con nue your support. Hospice

helps everyone that needs care at the

end of his or her lives. YOU CAN MAKE

A DIFFERENCE.

The mission of Friends of Hospice San Antonio, Inc. is to increase community awareness and understanding

of hospice and to raise funds in support of pa ents and their families in end‐of‐life care.

WELCOME NEW MEMBER KATHLEEN SMITH

THE MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL LETTER IS ENCLOSED WITH A RETURN ENVELOPE.

PLEASE JOIN BEFORE THE END OF JULY.

Our third goal is educa ng our community about hospice services and treatment of pa ents and their families in the hospice se ng. Unfortunately, with the COVID 19 restric ons, we were unable to have our Spring Educa on Lecture and Luncheon in April and our Annual Mee ng/Spring Party in May. In fact, the Annual Mee ng made history by taking place via email. COVID 19 has caused many disrup ons par cularly since we are a membership and special event organiza on. Our structure will need some adjustments but our request for funding never ends. The uninsured hospice pa ents need our help 24/7.

The board of directors have worked hard this year. Through its efforts we were able to dona on $160,00 to the Friends of Hospice Uninsured Hospice Pa ent Fund at CHRISTUS Health Founda on. We want to thank Rita Bragg, Jo Marie Camero, Derrick Dodge, Be y Ferrell, Linda Jacobs, Stephanie McNeal, Julie Norton Keidel, Esther Pipoly, Kay Sandidge, and Janet Wernli who are rota ng off the board of directors. I take this opportunity to wish President-Elect Melinda Schultz and her board a wonderful year ahead. As we navigate the new normal, let us keep in mind Friends of Hospice is invaluable to persons at the end of their life journeys and through our fundraising efforts we help make these services available to everyone in need.