Moving to Facebook instead of this Blog

Hi Volunteers,

We are moving all of our updates, photos, stories, etc to our page on Facebook: The Denver Hospice Volunteers. So "like" us on Facebook to get all updates and to stay in touch.

Also, "like" The Denver Hospice page on Facebook to get updates from the organization on event, fundraisers, family stories, etc.

We will no longer be updating this blog.

Other resources for information about volunteering include:

-calling The Denver Hospice main phone number and asking for any member of the Volunteer Engagement Team 

-www.thedenverhospice.org

-newsletter that is emailed to all volunteers at least quarterly

-email updates and volunteer opportunities regularly emailed to all volunteers 

See you on Facebook! Call us if you have any questions!
Thank you,
The Denver Hospice Volunteer Engagement Team

Happy Holidays to all our Volunteers!

We hope you have a wonderful Holiday Season! Thank you for making 2012 such a successful year for The Denver Hospice as we served more patients and their families with volunteer support than ever before. Enjoy your holidays and happy 2013!

29 Days of Giving

29 Days of Giving:  

http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/comfort/29days

This is the Volunteer Page where volunteer can make a donation! As a Volunteer Team, we are trying to raise $20,000 to support patients and families! Please consider a gift to help The Denver Hospice serve even more patients and families during this especially meaningful time of year.

Congratulations to John

Many of you know our Volunteer John who serves 32+ hours per month at our ICC providing reiki, 11th hour support and overall comfort to our patients and their families. 

John also volunteers at Project Angel Heart and he is their "volunteer of the month" for November!

They mention that he also volunteers at hospice!

Here is the link: 

http://www.projectangelheart.org/volunteer-news/205-november-volunteer-of-the-month.html

       
         Congratulations to John!

Happy National Hospice & Palliative Care Month

A very Happy National Hospice & Palliative Care Month to everyone! If you would like more information about hospice or palliative care services, please visit these websites:

www.denverhospice.org
www.optiohealth.org

www.nhpco.org

Or call us anytime 24/7
303.321.2828

Have a wonderful month of November and Happy Thanksgiving!

Volunteer Appreciation Event

We look forward to seeing all our Volunteers at our annual Volunteer Appreciation Event on November 8th, 2012. Invitations were mailed in early October. An email reminder will be sent in late October. All Volunteers are welcome to bring a guest! Please contact us for details and to RSVP. 

Please let us know if you have any questions abut this event.

Inservice for Volunteers coming up on Aug 30th

We are hosting an Inservice for all Volunteers (especially helpful for clinical volunteers) on Thursday August 30th at the main office.

The topic is "Things That Make You Go Hmmmm! A facilitated volunteer discussion to share rewarding and challenging experiences with your fellow volunteers". It will be a great time to learn from your fellow volunteers. Volunteer Services staff Lori and Jill will be there to guide the discussion and provide support.

For more details please contact Lori at lnelson@denverhospice.org

We'd enjoy having you join us at this inservice!

Support for Our Community

A consortium of hospices and grief centers are joining together to host a series of open door support groups next week at the Heartlight Center, 11150 East Dartmouth Ave. in Denver in the wake of the theater shootings in Aurora.

The group support sessions will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and be led by counselors from The Heartlight Center, The Denver Hospice Grief Center, Colorado Hospice/Saturday Partners, Porter Hospice and Exempla Collier Hospice.

The sessions are free and open to the public. In addition to offering grief support, the drop-in sessions will offer literature and leaders will be available to offer other resources and support groups.

Great Article by Center for Improving Value in Health Care

What's the Difference Between Palliative Care and Hospice Care? Part I in a Series of FAQs


Posted Jun 5, 2012 by Jenny Nate at http://civhc.org/Voices-On-Value/June-2012/What-s-the-Difference-Between-Palliative-Care-and-.aspx?utm_source=Voices+on+Value+%7C+CIVHC+News%2C+June+2012&utm_campaign=Voices+on+Value+June+2012&utm_medium=email

Despite some interesting “discussions” at the federal level on end-of-life care over the last few years, CIVHC continues our commitment as a convener and leader to improve access to high-quality palliative care across Colorado. Along the way, we’ve received many questions from stakeholders about palliative care and our decision to focus on this topic, especially in the light of highly charged political rhetoric associated with end-of-life care over the last couple years. Over the course of the next few months, I will be answering some of the questions we get most often in an effort to demystify palliative care. Today's question focuses on a common misperception that palliative care and hospice care are one and the same.

What's The Difference Between Palliative Care and Hospice Care?

I often hear people use “hospice care” and “palliative care” interchangeably, but there are some important distinctions between these terms. “Hospice care” is a very specific term to describe a package of services most popularly defined by Medicare’s hospice benefit. Hospice care is a type of palliative care that is provided anywhere in the home or community where a patient resides. A hospice care team usually includes a doctor and nurses, social workers, spiritual advisors, nursing assistants, and trained volunteers. This team provides a range of services including basic medical care with a focus on pain and symptom control, medical supplies and equipment, counseling and social support to help you and your family with psychological, emotional, and spiritual issues. In order to be financially eligible for hospice care, the patient must agree to discontinue curative treatment, and a doctor signs a form to indicate that the patient’s life expectancy is six months or less. Usually this form requires signatures by the patient’s primary care provider as well as the medical director or physician member of a hospice team.

Palliative care is a broader approach to care that is appropriate at any stage of a serious illness, whether that illness is potentially curable, chronic or life-threatening. Palliative care is appropriate for a much broader group of patients than hospice and, unlike hospice, may be provided in conjunction with curative or life-prolonging treatment. The following is an example of what a palliative care scenario might look like from a Modern Healthcare article entitled "Hospitals Add Palliative Teams at Rapid Rate".

“A patient is diagnosed with lung cancer, and a palliative care team's assistance is enlisted from the start, working alongside oncologists and other specialists. The palliative team may include doctors and nurses as well as a social worker and chaplain. Together, they coordinate care among the many medical professionals, have long consults with the patients and their families to answer questions, and may preventively prescribe medications for likely side effects of treatment, from pain to constipation to nausea.

The palliative team has a clear vision of the patients' goals and personal philosophies and, depending on these factors, might help steer them away from treatments that are determined to be more painful than they're worth. Though palliative doctors share some similarities with hospice doctors in this regard, their goal is still to cure, and their patients are not considered to be at the end of their lives, they are simply facing a serious illness.”

Another important distinction between hospice care and palliative care is that although palliative care is provided in several hospitals and communities across the United States, there is no reimbursement model for palliative care outside the specific hospice benefit. This creates a major barrier for patients who would greatly benefit from palliative care from gaining access to these services. Many hospitals here in Colorado have established palliative care programs despite the lack of reimbursement because of the growing body of evidence that palliative care services have a tremendous impact on the quality of care for the patients as well as the cost savings of this type of intervention. We’ll talk more specifically about palliative care’s impact on health care quality, patient satisfaction, and cost efficiency is the coming months.

The Mask Project on FaceBook

Did you know The Mask Project has its own FaceBook page?

Hop on to share with your friends, "like" the mask of the day, and learn about the happenings of this unique benefit!

http://www.facebook.com/themaskproject

The Denver Post writes about The Mask Project

Check out the Denver Post’s Joanne Davidson’s column about The Mask Project, "Tim Tebow, John Elway lend their support to 2012 Mask Project":

http://blogs.denverpost.com/style/2012/04/13/mask/#more-14008

This is a great article and couldn't come at a better time . . . the online auction for The Mask Project opens tomorrow, April 14th! Be one of the first to peruse the masks online at www.themaskproject.org!

Fundraiser at Sipping N' Painting!

We're hosting a fundraiser - join us for this fun way to contribute!

‎100% of the proceeds from ticket sales go to benefit The Denver Hospice and The Mask Project!

At Sipping N' Painting you'll find a casual, fun, creative environment where you can relax, imagine, create, laugh and go home with memorable and unique canvas art! You don't need to be an artist - everyone is welcome with no experience necessary! Learn more by visiting www.sippingnpainting.com.

WHEN:
Friday, April 13, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (MT)

WHERE:
Sipping n Painting
2563 15th Street
Denver, CO 80211

TICKETS are $40. To purchase, visit http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2810812215?ref=ecal

We know that as a Volunteer with The Denver Hospice you have a big heart and give your time & energy throughout the year. We celebrate you and appreciate your ongoing dedication.

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Denver Hospice Volunteer Services Team,

Erin, Jill, Lynnette, & Lori

Registration Open for Mask Training Sessions

Are you a current volunteer and want to help with The Mask Project this year?

Or, are you a thoughtful community member who wants to learn more about what you can do?

Either way, you're in luck! The Mask Project is right around the corner and we are busy preparing for this wonderful and unique benefit. Learn more about this event by visiting www.themaskproject.org.

Registration is now open for Mask Training Sessions!

If you have expressed your desire to volunteer, you should have received email invitations from me and www.VolunteerSpot.com prompting you to sign up for a Mask Training Session. If you didn't receive this information, please contact me and I'll gladly get it to you.

If you would like to learn more about what volunteering for The Mask Project looks like, fire off an email to me at jhomann@denverhospice.org. Impact the community in which you live. Volunteer!

Volunteers Prep Masks

Three wonderful volunteers kicked it into high gear on Friday to get 100+ masks packaged and ready to be mailed. These white clay masks will soon reach the hands of artists, celebrities, athletes, and others to be transformed into pieces of art! A big thank you to Elaine, Elle, and Mary Ellen for your efficiency, humor, smiling faces, and hard work!

More opportunities to get involved with The Mask Project 2012 are coming up. Contact Jill Homann at jhomann@denverhospice.org if interested!

The Mask Project is Coming!

The Mask Project is a benefit for The Denver Hospice and is a one-of-a-kind event featuring a gallery of handcrafted clay masks created by renowned artists, celebrities, sports figures, heroes, and community leaders, an online auction, and a party.

This biennial event raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for end-of-life care. With over 900 patients in the care of The Denver Hospice, and us never turning anyone away for lack of ability to pay, this benefit allows us to continue offering comprehensive and compassionate care to our entire community. For more information about the event, visit http://www.themaskproject.org.

Dozens of volunteers serve in a variety of roles that contribute to the success of this benefit. The Mask Project exhibit will be held at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center in April and May 2012. Volunteer opportunities that make an impact are available spanning this entire time-frame!

Do you have a heart for hospice? Are you available for Mask-specific training in March and benefit activities in April/May 2012? Please join us! Contact Jill Homann for more information - jhomann@denverhospice.org or 303-780-4530.

All Volunteers invited to our Annual Volunteer Appreciation Event

As a Volunteer with The Denver Hospice, please join us on Thursday November 10th 5pm-8pm for our annual Volunteer Appreciation Event!

We have a NEW location too! To receive the location details, please contact Lori or Erin.

You are invited to

The 2011 Annual Volunteer Appreciation Event

Celebrating ALL The Denver Hospice Volunteers

Thursday November 10^th, 2011

Arrive between 5:00pm-6:00pm for buffet dinner with staff & volunteers (Italian buffet including dessert)

· Please arrive no later than 6:00pm

· 6:15pm a very special program

· 7:15pm door prizes & dessert

There is no cost to attend, but RSVP is REQUIRED, so please RSVP to Lori at lnelson@denverhospice.org by 10/31 with your guest’s name.

Volunteers welcome to bring 1 Guest (no cost to attend).

Volunteer Appreciation date/location changed

The Volunteer Appreciation previously scheduled at Dave & Busters for November 9th is being postponed because Dave & Busters is under construction. New venue & date will be announced soon. Thank you to all our wonderful volunteers for helping our patients & families, and our staff & community, every day!

Join us on Friday October 7th!

Save the Date! Friday October 7th @ 730am-9am The Denver Hospice Volunteers & Friends Breakfast at The Denver Hospice Care Center: please join us for this once-in-a-lifetime event to learn more about The Denver Hospice Volunteers goal of raising $100,000 this year.

Everyone welcome; no cost to attend; RSVP required.

Family & friends welcome! Current Volunteers, as well as those just wanting to learn more about The Denver Hospice, very welcome!

Breakfast, free parking, special gift for everyone who attends!

Please email ebeauprez@denverhospice.org for more info or contact us in the Volunteer Services Dept.

Join us this Wednesday May 25th

You are invited to a reception on Wednesday, May 25 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Wheat Ridge Cyclery for J.W. Frye, a bicyclist who is riding 8,000 miles from Key West, Fla., to Alaska, to raise funds and awareness for hospice.

Enjoy food by Quizno’s at Wheat Ridge Cyclery, 7085 W. 38th Ave. in Wheat Ridge and hear J.W.’s amazing story. J.W.’s campaign “One Bike – One Cause” and his progress on his journey are tracked on his web site:

www.onebikeonecause.org

Everyone welcome!

No RSVP required

Piano Concert benefitting The Denver Hospice

Benefiting The Denver Hospice - Join us for a performance with pianist, Katie Mahan.

Thanks to Katie's generous spirit we are honored to have such a rare talent support our mission with this intimate performance.

Sunday, May 15 at 3:00 pm

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church

915 East 9th Avenue

Denver, CO 80218-3319

Katie’s strong commitment to community and her desire to give back have made this performance possible.

Seating is Limited - Get Your Tickets Today!

http://giving.thedenverhospice.org/site/Calendar?view=Detail&id=100321

Read more about Katie at her website - http://www.katiemahan.com/home.htm

Happy National Volunteer Week!

April 10th-16th is National Volunteer Week-

we celebrate all of our dedicated Volunteers!

In 2010, The Denver Hospice Volunteers gave over 27,000 hours, valued at over $720,000!

Every hour makes a difference to our patients, families, employees, and community.

THANK YOU TO ALL THE DENVER HOSPICE VOLUNTEERS

All Volunteers invited to upcoming Volunteer Inservice

All Volunteers with The Denver Hospice are invited to our Volunteer Inservice coming up on Thursday March 31st, 2011 from 5:30pm-8:30pm at The Denver Hospice Main Offices.

TOPIC: Self care, Taking care of Others, Being at our best for our patients & families

Aromatherapy samples, door prizes, hearing stories from fellow volunteers, etc will also be included in this inservice.

Dinner will be provided

RSVP to: Lori at lnelson@denverhospice.org

Look forward to seeing you there!

Reiki Volunteers

Here is the group photo of our fabulous Volunteers who are completing Reiki Training in February & March and then will start delivering Reiki to our patients/families starting in April. They will visit patients/families, who would like to have Reiki, in the home setting, facility setting and in our Care Center. Reiki is energy work that helps people feel calm, relaxed and supported. This photo shows the 11 Volunteers (John, Christy, Becca, Francesca, Annette, Elle, Audrey, Jennifer, Karen, Paula, & Tim) with their 2 Reiki instructors (Dory & Maggie).

Thank You for all your support!

Here is a beautiful photo of our new Care Center with the sunset behind it. This Care Center represents all the incredible work that our volunteers & staff do every day through out the Denver-metro area serving 850 patients. Thank you for all your support with home care, nursing home care, care center, 11th hour, administrative, events, and fundraising! There are still naming opportunities at the new Care Center, so if you or a family member/friend or business are interested in learning more, please contact Erin at any time at ebeauprez@denverhospice.org

In early January over 50 volunteers helped us open the new Care Center by helping staff test the nurse call system, and then also welcoming guests at two big opening events.

Thank you Volunteers!

Community Open House at The Denver Hospice Care Center

Join us this Saturday January 8th anytime between 11:30am-1:30pm for the Community Open House at our brand new The Denver Hospice Care Center at 8299 East Lowry Blvd in Denver!

Bring family/friends to see this gorgeous, state-of-the-art Care Center! We will have tours, punch/cookies, thank you gifts, etc.

We look forward to showing you this amazing new Care Center!

Happy Holidays

We wish each of our dedicated Volunteers with The Denver Hospice a Happy & Joyful Holiday Season!

This holiday season our Volunteers are:

visiting patients,

helping families,

delivering supplies,

delivering food baskets,

knitting blankets,

signing holiday cards,

mixing aromatherapy,

giving animal therapy & music therapy visits,

sitting with someone in the final hours of life,

running errands for families,

stuffing mailers,

creating spreadsheets,

baking cookies,

singing carols,

holding a patient's hand,

co-facilitating grief groups,

thanking our veterans,

filing year-end reports,

finishing office projects with gusto,

researching grants,

preparing education binders,

writing down patients' memories,

training new volunteers,

planning exciting events,

making lunch for a patient,

sharing gifts of music, reiki, and art,

providing respite to tired caregivers,

and

sending in their volunteer report logs...

And our Volunteers do this all year 'round.

Thank you!

We wish you and your family a Happy New Year,

Erin, Lori and Lynnette

Volunteer Services Team

A Thanksgiving message from The Denver Hospice

Thanks... to our families who place their trust in The Denver Hospice and believe in our comfort, compassion and expertise.

Thanks... to our community who commits time and money to make our programs and operations possible.

Thanks... to our staff who devotes passion and care every day and provides our patients with first-class care in every way.

Thanks... for giving.

You can never be thanked too many times...

A special Thank You to our wonderful Volunteers this Thanksgiving.

~Erin, Lori and Lynnette

A few spaces are left for the Volunteer Inservice! We'd love to see you there!

Volunteer Inservice coming up on Wednesday November 17th
We have a few spaces open still!

Wednesday November 17th 5:30pm-8:30pm at our main offices.

2 Topics will be covered: Palliative Care (what is it, why is important for volunteers to understand) and Useful Communication Tools (to help volunteers feel even more comfortable communicating with their patients/families/staff)

Limited to 25 Volunteers (due to space in the conference room), so RSVP to Lori at lnelson@denverhospice.org

Mark Your Calendar!

We have 2 events coming up for Volunteers~

November 9th: join us for the Annual Volunteer Appreciation Event! email Lynnette if you need the details: ljellison@denverhospice.org

November 17th: we are hosting a Volunteer Inservice. 2 topics will be covered: Palliative Care and Communication Tools/Boundaries

email Lori if you need the details: lnelson@denverhospice.org

We look forward to seeing you at these events!

Memory Walk

On Saturday September 18th, The Denver Hospice staff & volunteers supported the Memory Walk benefitting the Alzheimer's Association.

Thank you to Kathleen, Jon and Audrey for volunteering that day to make The Denver Hospice booth such a success!

Volunteer Inservice coming up on Wednesday November 17th

Get your RSVP in for the Volunteer Inservice being held

Wednesday November 17th 5:30pm-8:30pm at our main offices.

2 Topics will be covered: Palliative Care (what is it, why is important for volunteers to understand) and Useful Communication Tools (to help volunteers feel even more comfortable communicating with their patients/families/staff)

Limited to 25 Volunteers (due to space in the conference room), so RSVP to Lori at lnelson@denverhospice.org

The Denver Hospice Garage Sale raised $1000

Thank you to all the Volunteers who supported The Denver Hospice Garage Sale on August 21st! And an extra special Thank You to Volunteer Pete M for hosting this event at his home/garage!

The weather was great, people bought so many of the treasurers and $1000 was raised for The Denver Hospice programs and services.

Thank you!!

Garage Sale this Saturday Aug 21st to benefit The Denver Hospice

The Denver Hospice is hosting a GARAGE SALE fundraiser on Saturday, August 21st 9am-3pm. The sale will be at 5900 South Bemis Street in Littleton, CO 80120 during Western Welcome Week. Alll funds raised will go to The Denver Hospice’s programs and services! Stop by for great shopping! This event is hosted by Volunteers!

New Volunteers complete July Hospice Training!

We welcome the 24 New Volunteers who just completed July Hospice Training! Congratulations!

Our Patient John Jenkins flying in a hot air balloon

Tune in to 9News on Thursday, July 21 at 6:30 a.m. or Channel 20 at 8:30 a.m. to see the story of our patient John Jenkins, who created a “Bucket List,” which included a ride in a hot-air balloon.

Thanks to the generosity of Gery deKoevend of Fantasy Balloons, John realized his dream on June 22 at Chatfield State Park and 9News covered the story. John’s family will never forget how Gery granted John’s final wish and recited The Balloonist’s Prayer on landing:

"The Winds have welcomed you with softness.The Sun has blessed you with his warm hands.You have flown so high and so wellthat God has joined you in your laughterand set you gently back againinto the loving arms of Mother Earth."

The story is scheduled for broadcast on Thursday on Channel 9 but breaking news could pre-empt it. Tune in or watch for the link to 9News web site.

Photos from 2010 Events

BrewGrass Festival & Fundraiser



The Mask Project- Gala evening



Blues & Brews Festival & Fundraiser

To see photos of Volunteers & Staff in action at 2010 Events that benefitted The Denver Hospice, just click on the link below or visit our website http://www.thedenverhospice.org/ and click on 'Events'

Blues & Brews Music Festival 2010
Washington Park Garden Tour 2010
BrewGrass Music Festival 2010
The Mask Project 2010
Toys for Joy - March 27, 2010
Groundblessing Ceremony for the Care Center at Lowry - December 1, 2009

http://giving.thedenverhospice.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Events_Landing_Page

New Care Center

The Denver Hospice's new Care Center in Lowry is going up quickly! Here is one photo from this week. Click on this link to see many photos, updated each week, of the new Care Center construction progress:
http://giving.thedenverhospice.org/site/PageServer?pagename=caringforthefuture

Upcoming Volunteer Inservice

All Volunteers are invited to the upcoming
Volunteer Inservice being held Thursday August 19th 5:30pm-8:00pm:
the topic is "Boundaries: sticky situations & how to handle them".

This topic will help all volunteers in their volunteer role, and in their personal lives, learn more about appropriate boundaries, how to handle those sticky situations that come up, and how to help yourself by recognizing and honoring boundaries in your relationships with others.

Whether you volunteer with patients/families or volunteer in a nonclinical way (events, office, etc), you are very welcome to attend!

A light dinner will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there!

Please RSVP by August 17th to Lori at lnelson@denverhospice.org

Hot Air Balloon Flight

Tune in to 9News tomorrow morning to see our patient realize his dream

9News at 6 a.m. Wednesday, June 16: Our hospice patient who lives in St. Andrew Village retirement community, created a “Bucket List” of things he wants to do -- and one of them is to fly in a hot air balloon. His dream will be fulfilled on Wednesday, June 16 at 6:15 a.m. when he lifts off in a hot air balloon at Chatfield Reservoir.

He will ride courtesy of Fantasy Balloons and its owner Gery deKoevend. Our Denver Hospice volunteer, Dick Krepel, is paying his way to accompany John. The two of them will enjoy watching the hot air balloon being filled, an hour ride and celebrate with a champagne toast. 9News (and possibly others) plans to cover the balloon launch Live – via its helicopter and/or on the ground. We think The Denver Post will be there, too.

John is 85, traveled the South Pacific as a Seaman First Class in the Navy. He worked for the Colorado Department of Transportation for 37 years, designing and maintaining bridges until his retirement in 1985. Then for 21 years he was a volunteer at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Another item on John’s “Bucket List” is to learn to crochet or knit, which he also will be fulfilling while living at St. Andrew’s Village.

Mark your calendar! Volunteer events coming up

All of these events are open to ALL Volunteers for The Denver Hospice! Please RSVP so we know how many people to plan for. We look forward to seeing you at one or more of these events! All events will be held at our Main Offices 501 S. Cherry Street in Denver.

June 16th 5:30pm-7:30pm Evening Screening of RMPBS documentary "Living with Dying", which features The Denver Hospice staff & volunteers; light dinner/movie popcorn/candy included

June 18th 1pm-2:30pm Daytime Screening of RMPBS documentary "Living with Dying", which features The Denver Hospice staff & volunteers; movie popcorn/candy included

August 14th 9am-1pm 11th Hour Training (how to be with someone in the final hours of life)

August 19th 5:30pm-8:30pm Volunteer Inservice: Boundaries & Sticky Situations (to help you when you are volunteering with our patients/families/community)

RSVP to Erin at ebeauprez@denverhospice.org

For more about the RMPBS documentary "Living with Dying": www.rmpbs.org

You can view a preview and/or purchase a copy for $25.

Welcome to our New Volunteers from May Hospice Training!

A BIG Welcome to our New Volunteers who just completed Hospice Training in May! Welcome & Congratulations to Josh, Chris, Jon, Krista, Sherry, Alex, Wally, Gina, Lauri, (not pictured here: Lisa)

The Mask Project Gala : good press!

The Mask Project Gala is the talk of the town, according to both Joanne Davidson and Bill Husted who write about it in today's Denver Post. Here's links to their columns. Be sure to click on Joanne's SEEN GALLERY link in her column to relive the evening in photos by Steve Peterson.

Here's link to Joanne Davidson's column:

http://www.denverpost.com/society/ci_15009383

Here's link to Bill Husted's column:

http://www.denverpost.com/husted/ci_15011124

The Denver Hospice New Care Center

The Denver Hospice's new Care Center is being built as we speak! It will be ready late in 2010 and will have 24 private rooms for patients. Thank you to the community and many generous donors for making this new Care Center possible.

Greg Moody's coverage of The Mask Project on CBS4 News

Click on the link below to see the wonderful piece by Greg Moody that recently aired on CBS4 evening news. It features one of our staff members, Paul, who was volunteering his time that day at The Mask Gallery.

http://cbs4denver.com/video/?id=70091@kcnc.dayport.com

Click on this link for the slideshow on CBS4News website of the masks: http://cbs4denver.com/entertainmentslideshows/mask.project.denver.20.1633449.html

The Mask Gala Tickets discounted for all TDH Volunteers

All Volunteers with The Denver Hospice can purchase a ticket to The Mask Gala at the discount price of $125! Just click on the link below:

http://giving.thedenverhospice.org/mask

Please enter "Volunteer" in the referral line at checkout.

Just one ticket per Volunteer at the price, please. Guests/family/friends of Volunteers will be at the regular ticket price.

The Mask Gala is Saturday May 1st, 2010 at 7:30pm at Cherry Creek Shopping Center! Don't miss purchasing the hottest ticket in town at your volunteer rate!

Our new HABIC dog, Sophie

The Denver Hospice welcomes two new volunteers:

Susie and her HABIC trained dog Sophie! Above is a photo of Sophie. Susie and Sophie completed HABIC (Human Animal Bond in Colorado)'s extensive training to be able to work with our patients & families. Look for Susie & Sophie at the Care Center in the next few months. They join our other HABIC pairs who volunteer with us regularly: Barb & Bella (dog) who visit homes, and Linda & Butterfly (cat) who visit the Care Center.

The Mask Project will open April 1st at Cherry Creek Shopping Center

Beatles Masks by Las Vegas artist Susan Hernden


The Mask Project 2010 will open on April 1st at Cherry Creek Shopping Center! We have 500 gorgeous masks ready to display and will be there through out the month of April during store hours (Mon-Sat 10am-9pm & Sun 11am-6pm). So bring your family and friends down to see the display!

If you'd like to buy tickets to attend The Mask Gala-the hottest ticket in town!- being held May 1st at 7:30pm, please see http://www.maskproject.org/

ALL Volunteers with The Denver Hospice receive the $125 ticket price! That's $100 off the regular ticket price! (One ticket per Volunteer at that special price- please enter "Volunteer" in the referral line when buying your tickets online.)

If you'd like to volunteer for The Mask Project, please contact Erin by March 12th.

The Mask Project is our largest community event and volunteers make is all possible! Thank you to our 100 Mask Volunteers this year!

Would you like to volunteer for The Mask Project 2010?

The Mask Project is coming up soon! If you haven't already, please email or call Erin if you would like to volunteer for The Mask Project this year. Whether you'd like to volunteer behind the scenes with projects (March-May) or at Cherry Creek Shopping Center in the Mask Gallery (April 1st-30th), or for the Mask Gala (May 1st), please let Erin know so that she can send you all the info about how to sign up for a training and to sign up for volunteer shifts. This year, all volunteers who would like to volunteer for The Mask Project in any capacity must attend one training session to get all the latest Mask scoop, important information about this year's schedule, etc. Volunteers give The Mask Project its "people-power"! Thank you for volunteering!

The Mask above is from Michelle Obama. To see other info on The Mask Project 2010, please visit: www.themaskproject.org

Free Yoga Classes for Volunteers & Staff

From January 5th-February 25th, we are offering free yoga classes for all volunteers & staff of The Denver Hospice!

Tuesdays 5pm-6pm & Thursdays 7am-8am

Classes will be held on the 2nd floor of our main office building at 501 S. Cherry Street in Suite 250. Please wear your volunteer ID Badge, and bring a mat, water and towel. All levels welcome. No RSVP needed - join us when you can!

Thank you to our new volunteer, Chris, for sharing his talent as a Certified Yoga Instructor with us!

We hope to continue free yoga in March & April, so check back on this blog for updates.