Boquete Health and Hospice September Newsletter

[Boquete Health and Hospice]

View this email in your browser Table of Contents: •  Letter from our President •  Urgent Blood Need •  Art Auction Thank You •  Friendship Basket •  Covid Warning •  Stop Procrastinating •  Gift of Life Blood Drive •  BHH Tree of Life •  Our Mission Letter from the President The last few weeks have been amazing!  Two absolutely wonderful things have happened… The first is Boquete Health and Hospice has received an incredible donation from the Patricia Price Peterson Foundation (courtesy of Penny Barrett) of $2,800.  2020 has been a very challenging year as the services we provide to the community as well as our fund-raising events have been severely limited.  These funds will be used for the purchase of additional equipment - hospital beds, oxygen concentrators, wheelchairs, and walkers as well as to cover some of our annual operating expenses - rent, utilities and training members of the community (when the health situation permits).  BHH has many very generous donors to whom we are extremely grateful.  For this year, Penny is one of our super donors.   The second wonderful happening was our first virtual Silent Art Auction.  Over the course of one week, people had the opportunity to bid on 14 works of art by some of Boquete’s extraordinary artists:  Barbara Will-Wallace, Sally Foulke, Tatiana Arefina-Armitage, Sally Zigmond, Nancy Gallawa and MaryEllen Watts.  To these incredibly talented artists we humbly say THANK YOU!!!  Eight very generous bidders allowed BHH to raise $1,050 to help cover expenses.   Alan Cheek Laurie Collier Cheryl Crabbe Babbie Earle John Ferguson Jennifer Pascal Nancy Pettersen Sandra Jean Wolf To these wonderful people, we also say THANK YOU!!! Three of BHH’s volunteers worked behind the scenes to provide an exceptional auction.  I wish to personally thank Laurie Collier, Chris McCall and Merl Will-Wallace for the many hours spent in creating this auction.  It couldn’t have happened without you. Now – for the more serious topic: Monday, September 28 saw the opening of restaurants and bars in our area, as well as more retail shops.  It is my sincere hope that people remember that the virus is still among us.  Over the last week, Chiriqui has been responsible for a large percentage of the new cases of Covid-19.  For example, on September 22, there were 474 new cases in the country, and 104 of them were in Chiriqui.   It is important to remember that our volunteers are restricted from entering a home where a known case of Covid-19 is present.  While we want to be able to help, we can’t take the risk of passing the virus onto others in the community.   Please use common sense with the relaxing of restrictions.  Wash your hands or use alcohol gel, wear a mask whenever possible, and practice social distancing.  Go See the Art Auction Friendship in a Basket During the last few weeks, BHH has put a new program into practice.  One of our members has past experience with a Hospice Program in Florida.  He shares our newsletter with them, and passes onto the Council innovative ideas from them. One of the ideas we have embraced is “Friendship in a Basket”.  When one of our members knows of a client that is in a tough medical situation and needs a bit of encouragement, our Friendship Team (headed by Beverly Stearns) with advice from a family member or close friend, produces a basket filled with goodies – baked goods, sweets, puzzles, music, whatever will give the patient a feeling that they have friends that care and are not alone.   As of the end of September, two baskets have been delivered and the reaction has been most heart-warming.  Friendship is always welcome.  If you would like to be on this team, please contact Beverly.  COVID WARNING  Extreme caution needed!!   After being cooped up for so many months, there is natural tendency to get a bit lazy and relaxed.  Now is NOT the time to get lackadaisical.  With  restrictions being lowered and most of the restaurants, bars and shopping centers opening, we can expect a resurgence in new Covid 19 cases.  Because many people will feel like Covid 19 is in the past, we see people in our area outside without masks and some people with half masks ie: nose out of mask. Since Covid seems to spread via air, folks who wear half mask are putting you and themselves in danger.    This is in fact the time we must all be most vigilant.  It is likely that 14 days from now will be the highest danger because many new cases will have occurred. CDC found restaurants and bars as hot spots for covid transmission because of people not wearing masks.  Consider the statistics in countries in Europe as well as the USA that have removed quarantine. Wearing a plastic face shield (available at the Dollar Store)  in addition to your mask is very important while shopping in crowded stores for protection from people who are not compliant.  If you plan to eat out, please use extreme caution. It seems like the danger of the pandemic has passed. Chris and I feel we have become complacent.  We find ourselves not being vigilant about hand cleaner when getting in the car and often not always wearing our face shields. Use extreme caution and stay healthy and safe.   Chris and Lorraine Get Your PDF Being Prepared Guide Now Click Here to Enlarge Tree NEW DONORS – NEW LEAVES for the Tree of Life Auction High Bid Winners Alan Cheek Nancy Pettersen Cheryl Crabbe John Ferguson Jennifer Pascal Add Your Name Donate Now   Our Mission Our mission is to provide palliative care for the terminally ill in order that they may experience death with dignity and limited pain; to inform and promote community health; and, to support people with health and wellness needs by providing information, equipment and volunteer services.   To Make a Donation  BHHF functions with donations provided by the community. If you are interested in supporting the work we do, please make a donation. To make a financial contribution by check or cash contact Merl Will-Wallace,our treasurer,at dharma49@icloud.com to arrange a time and place to pick up your donation. You can also click here to make an online Paypal donation. For more information visit our website: http://www.boquetehealth.org We also have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/boqueteheartshandsandhelp/?ref=bookmarks  Please Like our page and share the contents with your family and friends.   Confidentiality All patient information shared with any Boquete Health and Hospice volunteer is kept in the strictest confidence. To Contact Us   Hospice/Health:  (507) 6781-9250 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday,  9am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday    Please! Blood Donor Program:  WhatApp (507)-6590-2000 or call (507)-6781-9250 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday,  9am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday, Please. Email:  info@boquetehealth.org   Please Donate Freely send this to anyone, use any part. Our mailing address is: info@boquetehealth.org Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. Thank you