Print Version
Email this story
Comment
A giving community
 |
| H&N photo by Steve Kadel: Klamath Hospice home health aide Patty Bodnar brushes the hair of Ruby Franco, a hospice patient living at home in Merrill. |
Basin residents remain generous during hard times
By STEVE KADEL
H&N Staff Writer
Economic hard times didn’t prevent Klamath Basin residents from giving as generously as they could to the less fortunate this holiday season. “For what the economy was, it was actually one of our best years,” said Patrick Leighton, kettle coordinator for the Salvation Army. “We had everyone pull through for us and we filled every bag.” More than 2,000 new toys were donated to the agency and distributed to children, and about 800 boxes of food were given away. In addition, $2,500 was raised in kettle donations prior to Christmas.
“People are digging into their pockets and delivering,” Leighton said. “I couldn’t be happier with the Klamath Basin.”
There was good news at the Klamath-Lake Counties Food Bank, too.
“All I wanted to do was meet last year’s level of monetary and food donations, and I believe we have done that or gone just a tad above the previous year,” said food bank executive director Niki Sampson. “We will be able to make it to mid-March with what we have on hand now.”
She said food bank donations were down 35 percent in early November, but charitable giving rallied in the following weeks.
“We, as a community, did it this year,” Sampson said.
About 12,000 people got a food box or a meal from the food bank in 2008, she said, based on numbers from nonprofit agencies the food bank helps.
At other agencies, officials found a way to meet the need despite a drop in donations. For example, the Toys for Tots program gave gifts to 1,742 children — 207 more than last year.
Toys for Tots, which is sponsored by the Marine Corps League, gave away 5,358 total gift items despite cash donations that were $4,000 less than the previous year and a 20 percent decline in donated toys.
“We try to have a little bit in reserve so if you have a bad year you can pull from the reserve,” said Toys for Tots coordinator Wanda Powless.
She recalled several adults coming to Toys for Tots for Christmas help after losing their homes.
“Their mortgages were way more than what they could handle because their interest rates went up,” Powless said. “Some were laid off. It was story after story.
“One man said, ‘You know, I used to give here.’ He was in his work outfit and had tears in his eyes. He said, ‘I don’t care what you give me, I just want something to put under the tree for my children.’
“To hear him, the way he said it, you’d be moved to tears. It was so sincere.”
Powless also is executive director of the Klamath Crisis Center and said that agency served 137 children and 81 adults this holiday season. Various service clubs, businesses and individuals donated food and presents for families.
“Without that support we wouldn’t know how to provide Christmas for them,” Powless said.
She added that children received three or four gifts apiece. Many youngsters asked for practical items such as a coat or boots.
“Our community doesn’t let other people go without,” Powless said.
Hospice: Giving time — Caregiving helps Ruby Franco stay at home
MERRILL — Ruby Franco is a frail, 88-year-old woman who suffers from adult failure to thrive.
She is able to live in her Merrill home with husband Al, 89, because of services provided by Klamath Hospice. Ruby has been a hospice patient for four months.
At 84 pounds, her weight is something that hospice home health aide Patty Bodnar keeps track of. Bodnar visits the Francos three days a week to monitor Ruby’s progress, noting such things as bruises, swelling or recent falls. Bodnar also cooks meals for the couple.
Before beginning hospice care, Ruby had a lot of problems with her back. She couldn’t get around without pain and was bedridden.
Now she wears a patch and takes medication every four hours, which greatly reduces her pain. She has a wheelchair to help her get about the house.
Ruby said living at home is vastly better than being in a hospital or other health care facility, and she is thankful for hospice care.
“They’re wonderful,” she said. “They help me so much. I don’t know what we’d do without them.”
The Francos’ home has countless memories because the couple has lived there since 1956. They’ve been married 56 years.
Freelance caregiver Terri Cox stops by once a week to do some light housekeeping and other chores. Another weekly visitor is Father Francis of St. Augustine’s Catholic Church in Merrill.
Despite her age and condition, Ruby does not dwell on death.
“If I go, it’s my time,” she said. “That’s how I think. I’m not afraid.”
Bodnar, who tends to other hospice patients too, has made strong friendships with the Francos.
“These two are just marvelous people,” she said. “Sometimes you have special people to work with, and these two are very special.
“It is an honor to come into people’s homes and help them live until their time comes.”
About Klamath Hospice
Klamath Hospice Inc. is a nonprofit agency that provides end-of-life care for patients diagnosed with six months or less to live.
It allows terminal patients to spend their final days at home. The hospice team includes medical directors, nurses, social workers, hospice aides, a spiritual counselor, physicians, therapists and volunteers.
Kelly Johnson, Klamath Hospice clinical manager, said costs are paid by Medicare benefits or private insurance. If a patient has neither of those, costs for medical treatment will be borne by hospice.
“We feel everyone has the right to stay in their own home if they wish,” Johnson said.
As a nonprofit, Klamath Hospice relies on private donations, fundraisers, sales at its thrift store on East Main Street and contributions from the United Way of the Klamath Basin.
Johnson said loss of United Way funding would have a significant impact on the program.
“We rely a great deal on all the donations we receive.”
Forty patients currently receive care from Klamath Hospice. That includes such things as help with bathing and dressing, incontinent care and help with walking or other needs. Much of the care is done by hospice aides, who are certified nursing assistants trained for hospice work.
Patients also have 24-hour a day telephone access to a nurse. In addition, relatives are instructed about such things as how to give medications, how to prevent falls, infection prevention, wound care and other topics.
Besides caring for patients, Klamath Hospice offers the following services:
-- A bereavement support group with social workers that allows participants a safe place to process grief.
-- One-time bereavement counseling for relatives of a deceased person, even if that person was not being treated by hospice.
-- A widow and widower social coffee group on Saturday mornings.
-- Recording of patients’ life stories.
-- Educational seminars for staff members of assisted living facilities, adult foster homes and other organizations.
-- Camp Evergreen, a one-week youth bereavement camp held in summer for those younger than 18 who are dealing with grief.
Johnson said hospice patients have decided to discontinue curative care, living their final days with purpose, dignity and grace.
“The focus of hospice is comfort, not cure,” she said. “Hospice allows an illness to run its natural course.”
For more information call Klamath Hospice at 882-2902.
United Way most likely won't meet goal
United Way of the Klamath Basin likely won’t meet its fundraising goal this year, but executive director Leroy Cabral remains upbeat.
“This campaign isn’t over yet,” he said. “We will announce the results on Jan. 27 and see where we are then.”
Tax-deductible donations will be accepted until that date, Cabral said. United Way helps 21 local agencies provide services year-round, with 99 cents of every dollar staying in the Klamath Basin.
The sputtering economy and resulting layoffs will likely prevented the United Way of reaching its target of $915,000 or last year’s amount of $893,000, Cabral said.
As of this week, he said the United Way had raised 82 percent of its goal for the year, or about $750,300.
“When we set the goal in April, the bottom hadn’t fallen out” of the economy, Cabral said. “United Way is tied in to the workforce, and if unemployment is high it stands to reason there will be fewer people giving.”
Cabral said it’s too early to tell how much each of its agenciess will receive from current donations.
“People are digging into their pockets and delivering,” Leighton said. “I couldn’t be happier with the Klamath Basin.”
There was good news at the Klamath-Lake Counties Food Bank, too.
“All I wanted to do was meet last year’s level of monetary and food donations, and I believe we have done that or gone just a tad above the previous year,” said food bank executive director Niki Sampson. “We will be able to make it to mid-March with what we have on hand now.”
She said food bank donations were down 35 percent in early November, but charitable giving rallied in the following weeks.
“We, as a community, did it this year,” Sampson said.
About 12,000 people got a food box or a meal from the food bank in 2008, she said, based on numbers from nonprofit agencies the food bank helps.
At other agencies, officials found a way to meet the need despite a drop in donations. For example, the Toys for Tots program gave gifts to 1,742 children — 207 more than last year.
Toys for Tots, which is sponsored by the Marine Corps League, gave away 5,358 total gift items despite cash donations that were $4,000 less than the previous year and a 20 percent decline in donated toys.
“We try to have a little bit in reserve so if you have a bad year you can pull from the reserve,” said Toys for Tots coordinator Wanda Powless.
She recalled several adults coming to Toys for Tots for Christmas help after losing their homes.
“Their mortgages were way more than what they could handle because their interest rates went up,” Powless said. “Some were laid off. It was story after story.
“One man said, ‘You know, I used to give here.’ He was in his work outfit and had tears in his eyes. He said, ‘I don’t care what you give me, I just want something to put under the tree for my children.’
“To hear him, the way he said it, you’d be moved to tears. It was so sincere.”
Powless also is executive director of the Klamath Crisis Center and said that agency served 137 children and 81 adults this holiday season. Various service clubs, businesses and individuals donated food and presents for families.
“Without that support we wouldn’t know how to provide Christmas for them,” Powless said.
She added that children received three or four gifts apiece. Many youngsters asked for practical items such as a coat or boots.
“Our community doesn’t let other people go without,” Powless said.
Hospice: Giving time — Caregiving helps Ruby Franco stay at home
MERRILL — Ruby Franco is a frail, 88-year-old woman who suffers from adult failure to thrive.
She is able to live in her Merrill home with husband Al, 89, because of services provided by Klamath Hospice. Ruby has been a hospice patient for four months.
At 84 pounds, her weight is something that hospice home health aide Patty Bodnar keeps track of. Bodnar visits the Francos three days a week to monitor Ruby’s progress, noting such things as bruises, swelling or recent falls. Bodnar also cooks meals for the couple.
Before beginning hospice care, Ruby had a lot of problems with her back. She couldn’t get around without pain and was bedridden.
Now she wears a patch and takes medication every four hours, which greatly reduces her pain. She has a wheelchair to help her get about the house.
Ruby said living at home is vastly better than being in a hospital or other health care facility, and she is thankful for hospice care.
“They’re wonderful,” she said. “They help me so much. I don’t know what we’d do without them.”
The Francos’ home has countless memories because the couple has lived there since 1956. They’ve been married 56 years.
Freelance caregiver Terri Cox stops by once a week to do some light housekeeping and other chores. Another weekly visitor is Father Francis of St. Augustine’s Catholic Church in Merrill.
Despite her age and condition, Ruby does not dwell on death.
“If I go, it’s my time,” she said. “That’s how I think. I’m not afraid.”
Bodnar, who tends to other hospice patients too, has made strong friendships with the Francos.
“These two are just marvelous people,” she said. “Sometimes you have special people to work with, and these two are very special.
“It is an honor to come into people’s homes and help them live until their time comes.”
About Klamath Hospice
Klamath Hospice Inc. is a nonprofit agency that provides end-of-life care for patients diagnosed with six months or less to live.
It allows terminal patients to spend their final days at home. The hospice team includes medical directors, nurses, social workers, hospice aides, a spiritual counselor, physicians, therapists and volunteers.
Kelly Johnson, Klamath Hospice clinical manager, said costs are paid by Medicare benefits or private insurance. If a patient has neither of those, costs for medical treatment will be borne by hospice.
“We feel everyone has the right to stay in their own home if they wish,” Johnson said.
As a nonprofit, Klamath Hospice relies on private donations, fundraisers, sales at its thrift store on East Main Street and contributions from the United Way of the Klamath Basin.
Johnson said loss of United Way funding would have a significant impact on the program.
“We rely a great deal on all the donations we receive.”
Forty patients currently receive care from Klamath Hospice. That includes such things as help with bathing and dressing, incontinent care and help with walking or other needs. Much of the care is done by hospice aides, who are certified nursing assistants trained for hospice work.
Patients also have 24-hour a day telephone access to a nurse. In addition, relatives are instructed about such things as how to give medications, how to prevent falls, infection prevention, wound care and other topics.
Besides caring for patients, Klamath Hospice offers the following services:
-- A bereavement support group with social workers that allows participants a safe place to process grief.
-- One-time bereavement counseling for relatives of a deceased person, even if that person was not being treated by hospice.
-- A widow and widower social coffee group on Saturday mornings.
-- Recording of patients’ life stories.
-- Educational seminars for staff members of assisted living facilities, adult foster homes and other organizations.
-- Camp Evergreen, a one-week youth bereavement camp held in summer for those younger than 18 who are dealing with grief.
Johnson said hospice patients have decided to discontinue curative care, living their final days with purpose, dignity and grace.
“The focus of hospice is comfort, not cure,” she said. “Hospice allows an illness to run its natural course.”
For more information call Klamath Hospice at 882-2902.
United Way most likely won't meet goal
United Way of the Klamath Basin likely won’t meet its fundraising goal this year, but executive director Leroy Cabral remains upbeat.
“This campaign isn’t over yet,” he said. “We will announce the results on Jan. 27 and see where we are then.”
Tax-deductible donations will be accepted until that date, Cabral said. United Way helps 21 local agencies provide services year-round, with 99 cents of every dollar staying in the Klamath Basin.
The sputtering economy and resulting layoffs will likely prevented the United Way of reaching its target of $915,000 or last year’s amount of $893,000, Cabral said.
As of this week, he said the United Way had raised 82 percent of its goal for the year, or about $750,300.
“When we set the goal in April, the bottom hadn’t fallen out” of the economy, Cabral said. “United Way is tied in to the workforce, and if unemployment is high it stands to reason there will be fewer people giving.”
Cabral said it’s too early to tell how much each of its agenciess will receive from current donations.
 |
||
| Person of the Year |
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of HeraldAndNews.com. Comment Disclaimer: The editors of heraldandnews.com reserve the right to refuse publication of any comment posted for consideration. We may refuse for any reason, including use of profanity, disparaging comments, libelous comments, etc. Any reader who notices a comment they believe is particularly offensive, should notify us at webmaster@heraldandnews.com.
RSS
Grace wrote on Jan 1, 2009 4:43 PM: