The Heart at Work:
A Personal Reflection
Alexandria Castelo, Development & Communication Coordinator
It’s about 2:30 in the afternoon, and I quickly bounce back into the House from the Administration Building to ask one of the Nurses upstairs a question.
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I never mind interruptions at work because it usually leads to a pleasant conversation with a volunteer, resident, or another staff member. I carefully push open the front door, and as I round the corner I see quite a few familiar faces eating one of Kevin’s famous spreads and mingling with one another. I peek into the sunroom to say a quick hello to everyone and am greeted with countless friendly smiles. The afternoon sun is beaming from the reflection garden through the many windows of the sunroom, and the warmth I feel quite literally stops me in my tracks for a moment.
Everyone is always friendly at Celia’s House, but today has felt particularly special. It’s only mid-day, and I’ve already had two meaningful conversations with residents and laughed with several volunteers and coworkers. It’s a Wednesday, so the gardeners have already come and gone, gracing us with their upbeat candor.
As I continue upstairs to fulfill my original purpose, the sweet and gentle sound of acoustics and female voices drifts down the spiral staircase. I swear I hear a few words in Hawaiian, but I can’t help but wonder if I’m imagining it. Sure enough, when I reach the top of the staircase, I see two volunteers playing the ukulele and singing beautiful Hawaiian lyrics in unison.
Without even realizing it, I have tears in my eyes. In this moment, I cannot believe I am at work. I work here. I work at this magical place called Celia’s House.
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Botanical Bliss
Lily Herwald & Alexandria Castelo
On Wednesday mornings, the grounds of Celia’s House in Holmes Park are abuzz with activity. A team of ten garden volunteers arrive with knee pads, work aprons, and sun protection to tackle the upkeep of the botanical garden. The nearly two-acre property of Celia's House has an amazing array of trees, shrubs, plants, and flowers. A cadre of gardeners ensure our residents can see serene and beautiful landscapes from the windows of their rooms. They grow flowers that adorn dinner trays and add to the interior of the house.
The goals for Celia’s House Garden set by these passionate volunteers include using plants that are:
- Native & drought resistant
- Pollinator friendly
- Organic when possible
These gardeners are organized, self-directed, and all very friendly. They do ask that people avoid dropping off plants or soil, as the garden space is methodically planned out for maintenance purposes.
If you would like a tour of the garden space, please call or text Lily Herwald at (907)713-7814, or Alex Castelo at (707)480-5704. We would be delighted to show you around this beautiful place.
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Why I Care About the Care Fund
Lily Herwald, Development Director
My family has experienced loss, as most families have. In the mid-1990s, my Mom’s chronic illness caused her to need hospice care. I lived thousands of miles away in Alaska with a newborn, so the caregiving fell to my ailing dad and amazing sister. They worked around the clock to provide her comfort care between visits from hospice nurses. This wore them down.
My family didn’t have an option like Celia’s House, where our Mom could have received assistance with the activities of daily living and the finest medical care. A home like this would have allowed my family to be fully present, to hold her hand, listen to her funny quips, and be together during her sacred passage.
We didn’t have an option for the exceptional model of care provided by Celia’s House, but the people of the Rogue Valley do. I am proud to work with Southern Oregon Friends of Hospice and help raise donations for programs like the Care Fund so other families and their loved ones can have a meaningful experience when facing this difficult transition.
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Mom and dad, September 1958. |
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On April 1st, we began our campaign to raise $200,000 for the Care Fund, and now we are only two weeks away from the deadline.
In the past month, many contributions have helped us meet the generous match from Harry and Barbara Oliver. Two of the Care Fund founders recently gave $10,000 toward that match and this campaign. This couple is committed to assuring that people at the end of their life can access care at Celia’s House without worrying about how to fully pay for it. The Care Fund helps supplement the expense of care.
We are very grateful to those who have already contributed! We have until July 31st to raise the remaining $26,326 of our $200,000 goal! Please join your fellow community members and contribute now.
Southern Oregon Friends of Hospice
217 S Modoc Ave
Medford, OR 97504
Thank you for your support!
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Food is Where the Heart is
Alexandria Castelo, Development & Communication Coordinator
At Celia’s House, comforting aromas from the kitchen make it the heart center of the house.
Homemade meals and snacks are tailored to the resident’s desire, taste, and capacity. From comforting casseroles, to homemade soup and sandwiches, freshly baked goods, or even refreshing sorbets and smoothies with probiotics—there’s something for everyone coming out of this kitchen.
Kevin and Larry not only provide residents with diverse and nourishing food, but generously feed their families and friends who come to visit, thanks to the Acton Black Family Food Fund. This was a fund started by a grateful family in memory of their beloved father.
It is clear from their caring creations that our kitchen staff know the way to a person’s heart. Thank you both for everything you do each day for our residents, their families, and our staff.
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Student Volunteers at the HUB
P. Dean, The HUB Store Manager
The HUB relies on over 55 volunteers a week to accept, process, organize and sell hard goods and clothing to help fund the efforts of Southern Oregon Friends of Hospice. Although most of these volunteers are retired, The HUB also benefits from student volunteers who seek to earn community service credit at their high school or to learn new skills through a hands-on approach in a real-world setting. Some of these are alternative or special needs students.
Fisher, a uniquely creative, bright-minded alternative student, and frequent shopper at The HUB, volunteered over much of her school year. She trained as both a cashier and backroom goods processer, and found her niche working with clothing. Her progressive eye for style brought a fresh look to the clothing displays on the shop floor.
Ana, a loving special needs student, her mentor, and her caregiver, volunteered at The HUB Tuesday afternoons during the past school year. Ana fully enjoyed her time at The HUB, learning new social skills, completing tasks and making progress in a real world setting toward her personal and academic goals.
Ophelia, a new student volunteer applicant, is in her freshman year of high school. As a requirement of graduation, she will need to volunteer for a total of 100 hours in a community service activity. Her immediate choice was to earn her credits as a volunteer at The HUB. Energetic and outgoing, Ophelia will be the youngest volunteer at the shop.
Students who volunteer give more to The HUB than their work hours; they bring youthful enthusiasm and creativity that make The HUB a more welcoming, more diverse place for customers, other volunteers, and staff. For the students, volunteering at The HUB is a fun way to gain community and work experience, or to further develop personal skills in a setting of compassion, respect, and gratitude.
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1618 Ashland Street, Ashland, OR
Store Hours:
Monday – Sunday, 10:30am – 5:00pm
(541) 488-7805
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- The HUB accepts donations Tuesday - Saturday 10:30am - 4:30pm. No donations are accepted Sunday or Monday.
- Interested in volunteering at The HUB? Contact us (541) 488-7805
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Please Welcome Our Newest Board Members |
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Rebecca Reid
Rebecca's passion for hospice stems from her father who was an active hospice counselor, as well as the positive experience she had with hospice during her parents' last days. Rebecca is on the Board of Directors for Rogue Valley Civic League and is a long-time volunteer at The HUB. She has an extensive background in education, including working as a director with Southern Oregon Regional Services Institute and an economics professor at Southern Oregon University.
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Bryon Lambert
Bryon is the current Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Director at La Clinica in Medford, OR. Bryon serves on the Health Equity Committee for the Oregon Health Authority and the National Association of Community Health Centers Advisory Council. His source of passion for hospice comes from the touching and impactful moments he experienced when his mother-in-law was at the end of her life. He shares that he wants that "reverent, loving, and respectful experience for everyone. ”
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Diane Williams
Diane's experience as a pediatrician and oncologist has fueled her passion for hospice, "I have always been involved with end of life issues and strongly supported transition to hospice care when medical options have no longer proved of benefit. Medical ethics has also been a strong interest of mine.” For several years, Diane has been serving on various other boards including the Children's Advocacy Center, St. Vincent De Paul in Ashland and Talent, Jefferson Regional Health Alliance, and more.
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Southern Oregon Friends of Hospice & Celia's House
Mailing Address: 217 S. Modoc Ave., Medford, OR 97504
Check Out Our YouTube Video Tour:
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