CHP provides Beacon of Hope event info

VW independent/submitted information

Community Health Professionals (CHP) will host its 20th annual Hospice “Beacon of Hope” dinner/auction at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 26, at Willow Bend Country Club.

The event features a meal, live and Chinese auctions, instead of silent auction items, with auctioneer, Bob Gamble and a new emcee, Tim Kindinger — a performer at this year’s “Ohio Has Talent! event. Local businesses — Lee’s ACE Hardware and KAM Manufacturing — will be honored as “Friends of Hospice” for their continued support of the CHP Hospice program and its events.

Dinner tickets are $20 each, with limited seating remaining. For tickets, call 419.238.9223.

The family of the late Glenn E. Turner will present the Beacon of Hope lighthouse to honor Turner and past CHP Hospice patients and families.

Turner valiantly fought against cancer before succumbing at age 53. A Van Wert High School and Ohio State University alum, Turner started his career as an insurance claims representative. He later returned to school to become a registered nurse and began a nursing career at Ridgeview Behavioral Hospital.

Turner also served as a worship leader for various churches and was a pastor for several years. He was also a talented singer and musician who especially enjoyed the piano.

The Turner lighthouse will be displayed at the Van Wert Area Inpatient Hospice Center, along with those presented from previous years. The lighthouse symbolizes hope, comfort, and support provided by hospice when a loved one is facing a life-limiting illness.

New this year will be a Chinese auction in place of a silent auction. Chinese auctions allow bidders to purchase many tickets to increase their odds of winning a certain item. At the conclusion of bidding, one winning ticket is drawn from a “hat” beside each item, and the item is given to the owner of that ticket. Live auction items include a week’s stay in the Smokey Mountains, a trip to Cancun, tickets to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Southwest Airline tickets, and much more.

A mystery treasure chest drawing for over $500 worth of prizes will also be held, with 400 key tickets to be sold for $5 each. The winning ticket “key” to open the treasure chest will be drawn during the event.

One hundred fifty presale key tickets will be sold April 23-26 at Community Health Professionals, 1159 Westwood Drive in Van Wert. Proceeds from the event benefit CHP’s Home Care & Hospice Patient Care Fund.