Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites

Honorees Suzanne Grimmesey - Partnership Award, James S. Bower Foundation - Legacy Award, No One Dies alone Program - Volunteer Award Recipients

Master of Ceremonies Beth Farnsworth & CJ Ward KEYT3 with David Selberg Hospice of Santa Barbara

7TH ANNUAL HEROES OF HOSPICE OF SANTA BARBARA AWARDS

Three Honors Presented at Annual Jewels by the Sea Luncheon By Bonnie Carroll

Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB) honored special individuals and organizations Wednesday September 11 during the 7th annual Heroes of Hospice of Santa Barbara awards ceremony. Over 300 people mingled on the patio of the Biltmore's Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club overlooking Butterfly Beach to bid on auction items and socialize over cool beverages before the three course luncheon honoring real Santa Barbara heroes began.

The Awards for 2019 included the Partnership Award presented to Suzanne Grimmesey, Santa Barbara County Department of Behavorial Wellness, the Legacy Award presented to James S. Bower Foundation who make grants to partners who share the belief that a healthier world can be fostered through compassionate action and social change, and Volunteer Award presented to the No One Dies Alone Program brings together trained volunteers and patients to insure no one dies alone.

Beth Farnsworth & Cj Ward were again a charming master of ceremonies duo, and the keynote speaker The Honorable Joyce Dudley, District Attorny shared her very personal experience of grief with the loss of her father and husband. “The doors of Hospice are always open and because of this I continue to make my way through all of this, and know right now we are all in a room full of love.”

Sponsors for this year's event included Melinda Goodman Kemp, Jill & Barry Kitnick, Lynne Cantlay & Bob Klein, MD, Central Coast Home Health & Hospice, FirstRepublic Bank, Perri Harcourt, Montecito Bank & Trust, Mullen & Henzell, L.L.P., Northern Trust, Pacific Graduate Institute & Pacifica Graduate Institue Alumi Association, Ridely-Tree Cancer Center, Mark & Nicole Romasanta, Kenny & Elizabeth Slaught, Straus Family Foundtion, Suzanne von Drehle, American Riviera Bank, Anacapa Estate Planning & Elder law, Assisted Home Health and hospice Care, Cornerstone Home Lending, Cottage Health and countless more.

The honorary committee members included Sue Adams, Pat Aptaker, Margaret Barnes, Esq., Jane Bechwald, Emma C. Bridges, Lynne Cantlay & Bob Klein, MD, Marybeth Carty, Leigh Cashman, Maria I. Chesley, Mindy & Cris Denson, Suzanne De Ponce, The Honorable Joyce Dudley, District Attorney, Roger Durling, Cindy Feinberg, Joanne Fnari, David & Anne Gersh, Perri Harcourt, Stephen Hosea, MD, Beverly Jackson, eter & Gerd Jordano, Marlene Klamt, Beverlie G. Latimer, Mike Lazaro, Monica Lenches, Lori Lewis, Carole MacElhenny, Holly Mckenna, Brenda Nancarrow-Garrison, Ernesto Paredes, Catherine Remak, Linda Seltzer Yawitz, Jill Shalhoob, Kenny & Elizabeth Slaught, Suzanne Von Drehle, Marilee Zdenek, Charles & Nina Zimmer.

Congratulations to the deserving award recipients, the Hospice of Santa Barbara staff, the army of volunteers, generous sponsors, committee members and supportive guests on another inspiring Heroes of Hospice Awards Jewels by the Sea Luncheon.

Hospice of Santa Barbara was founded 40 years ago on Cabrillo Boulevard, and today has headquarters on Alameda Padre Serra, with a staff of more than 30 people. The volunteer hospice organization provides professional counseling, support groups and patient care services to those grieving the loss of a loved one or experiencing the impact of a serious or life-threatening illness. Hospice of Santa Barbara is the recipient of numerous awards under the current direction of Chief Executive Officer David Selberg. For donations or information visit: www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org.

The Ridley-Tree Cancer Center at Sansum Clinic program on stress reduction and cancer given by Cheri Clampett included special stress reduction techniques and was quite wonderful, but the surprise was the staff planned a thank you for the over 21 years Cheri has been offering special assistance to the Center patients to handle stress and learn techniques to insure relaxation while traveling their own journey to fight cancer.

A huge sign and bouquet of flowers came as a comple surprise to Cheri who thank everyone and talked of how much she enjoyed her work there. Visitors were given helpful take-home sheets and books, videos and more were recommended by Clampett.

It was a totally peaceful and relaxing afternoon with this kind and generous woman, and I hope to have an opportunity to attend another gathering at Ridley-Tree Cancer Center. For information visit: www.rtcc.org.

Just returned from Switzerland and Germany where I am always amazed at the focus on good health, as well as greeen and clean policies in process now and in ancient times. Lake Zurich has for centuries offered baths for its Swiss citizens that are still thriving today on the edge of the extremely clean river, where guests enjoy water treatments and take time to relax and renew themselves.

Baths have been a vital part of life on the river for Europeans always, and through the years I've heard about the medieval synagogue ritual bath but was quite impressed to view the "mikvah" in the medieval synagogue in Speyer, Germany recently. It is touching to learn of the historic health practices observed in the past and know of the history of the people who held them dear as a part of their daily lives centuries ago. The ShPIRA Museum covers Jewish synagogue, cemetery and ritual bath of the Middle Ages.