Beacon of Hope dinner set for Thursday

VW independent staff/submitted information

CHP Home Care & Hospice will host its annual Hospice “Beacon of Hope” dinner and charity auction beginning at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, October 10, at the Junior Fair Building at the Van Wert County Fairgrounds.

The event is free, with RSVP required. Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner, catered by Rockford Carryout, and silent and live auctions, hosted by Bee Gee Realty and Auction. Proceeds from the event benefit CHP Home Care & Hospice, a nonprofit, 501c3 organization supported by the United Way of Van Wert County.

The family of the late, Gary D. Adams will share about their experience when Adams received home health, adult day care, and hospice services through CHP. Adams was a lifetime farmer, a former Jackson Township Trustee and a Van Wert County Commissioner for 28 years. He was also a high school basketball official for nearly 30 years. A member of Zion Christian Union Church and later Trinity Friends Church, Adams served on the board of directors of the Van Wert County Fair and WTLW TV 44, and was a member of the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association.

Adams was a founding member of the gospel music group, Trinity, and in 2019, was inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame. He and Barbara (Dougal) were married for 65 years and had three children, nine grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Van Wert County Agricultural Society and Convoy Methodist Church Ladies on a Mission are named as “Friends of Hospice” for their ongoing support of CHP’s Hospice program and events.

“We look forward to the Beacon of Hope event every year,” said Kim Mason, volunteer and events coordinator. “This year, it’s a special privilege to honor all that Gary Adams contributed to both our agency and this community and spotlight the care he received from us.”

Mason also said that even though hospice can be a heavy topic, the Beacon of Hope event is designed to be entertaining, enjoyable, and educational. It raises funds for CHP’s hospice patient care fund. She added that even though hospice care is covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most insurance plans, patients may have financial and coverage deficiencies that the fund helps to cover.

“Most people think of hospice only for the elderly, but our younger patients may have to quit their job and lose their insurance due to their illness,” Mason stated. “Sometimes authorization from insurance takes time. We can still provide needed services in these cases because of our patient care fund.”

To reserve a seat for the dinner, visit comhealthpro.org/event-calendar or call 419.238.9223.