Winter 2017
shepherdscovehospice.org
Celebrating 35 Years!
We Have a New Name
A
s Hospice of Marshall CountyShepherd’s Cove celebrates 35
years of end-of-life care in the community, it is looking toward a future
of growth with a new brand.
Passersby may notice a new look
on the facility’s large outdoor sign
on Martling Road in Albertville. The
sign features the new name, Shepherd’s Cove Hospice, and new logo.
The new brand was revealed to the
community during a special ceremony and ribbon cutting January 12.
“We have outgrown our old name,”
said Rhonda Osborne, CEO/CTO.
“While we are proud of our past accomplishments, we believe this is a
time to focus on future possibilities.
With growth we have experienced,
not only geographically but also
programmatically, we believe the
time to embrace a new name is
now.”
The organization started in 1982 as
an all-volunteer hospice agency, primarily serving Marshall County. However, word spread about the quality
of care. Today, Shepherd’s Cove Hospice officially serves patients in eight
other counties, including Blount,
Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Madison,
Morgan, St. Clair, and Jackson.
Osborne was hired in 1989 as the
first full-time bedside nurse. She
hopes the new name will help others outside Marshall County realize
the organization also serves eight
surrounding counties, therefore
helping Shepherd’s Cove Hospice
reach more people who need our
specialized end-of-life care.
We are also excited about the new
logo, which features a shepherd’s
staff that forms a heart and two customized signature colors. The name
and logo both emphasize the orga-
nization’s underlying foundation of
guidance from the “Good Shepherd”
and its desire to follow that guidance
as we walk with others through the
end-of-life journey.
However, it is important to note
the new brand is not a result of a
corporate buy-out or change in
scope of care. We are still the same
non-profit, community-based
organization governed by the same
volunteer board of friends and
neighbors making decisions with our
community’s needs at the forefront
of our minds.
For more information about the new
brand, check out “A Message from CEO,
Rhonda Osborne” on page 2 or visit
shepherdscovehospice.org. l
www.shepherdscovehospice.org
1
CEO Rhonda Osborne,
RN, BSN, CHPCA
appy New
Year! It is always amazing to
me how the time
flies by!
I am excited
about 2017 at Shepherd’s Cove Hospice. This is truly a year of milestones!
This year we celebrate our opportunity to serve for 35 years! Gayle
Roadruck truly had a strong vision
for this local hospice and advocated
for a true service to those facing end
of life. I believe Hospice of Marshall
County, over the years, has fulfilled her
vision and dream. In 2015, we developed a tag line that I believe says it
all…Our Heart Sets Us Apart. One
thing Gayle never dreamed was how
the name, Hospice of Marshall County,
would, after approximately 30 years,
create a barrier to accessing our care.
As I shared in previous newsletters,
Hospice of Marshall County is authorized by the state to serve residents
of nine counties: Marshall, DeKalb,
Etowah, St. Clair, Blount, Cullman,
Morgan, Madison, and Jackson.
Unfortunately, many automatically
believe we are limited to serving only
in Marshall County. Therefore, the
Board of Directors and HMC’s leadership team oversaw a name alteration
process. Although our legal name
remains Hospice of Marshall County,
we are announcing the adoption of a
“doing business as” name.
Effective January 12, 2017 the community now knows us as:
R
R CO
H
OU
A Message from CEO,
Rhonda Osborne
E
VA
LUES
Dedication
Excellence
Service
Integrity
Reverence
Eth i cs
Medical Director
Shepherd’s Cove Hospice continues
to be a freestanding, independent,
community-based, non-profit hospice.
We continue to be governed by our
local volunteer Board of Directors and
led by the same leadership team you
know. In other words, we have NOT
been sold out nor are we merging
with another entity. We are using another name to OPEN access to our exceptional, individualized care, provided
with a servant’s heart. Shepherd’s Cove
Hospice continues to provide home
care, as well as, operate our 10-bed
inpatient specialty care unit.
I ask that you help spread the word
of our new name and the reason
behind the change. Read more in this
newsletter of the activities and services of Shepherd’s Cove Hospice.
Tell people you know, who has the
need for hospice care, about Shepherd’s Cove Hospice. Our desire is to
care for them in a hopeful and compassionate way. Well, the tagline just
says it all…
Our Heart Sets Us Apart l
Dr. Joel C. Milligan
Volunteer Board
of Directors
President
Dr. Alfred A. Ratcliffe, Jr.
Vice President
Mary Kate Beard
Secretary/Treasurer
Former Mayor Paula Phillips
Josh Barnes
Annette Cederholm
Colleen Lee
Anna Johnson Noojin
Jan Peppers
Norma McCord-Wells
Ginger Young
It is the mission of Shepherd’s Cove
Hospice, a non-profit agency, to
provide, with a servant’s heart,
exceptional, individualized care for
those coping with end-of-life issues.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
We’ve Got a New Name.......................................1
Celebrating Our Employees...........................4-5
Christmas at Shepherd’s Cove..........................9
A Message from CEO, Rhonda Osborne........2
Checking Off Bucket Lists...................................6
Meet Our Staff..................................................... 10
Board of Directors.................................................2
Being Mortal Film Screening.............................7
Cheers, Laura!...................................................... 11
Race to Remember...............................................3
Heartwise Health Assessment..........................7
Race to Remember Kickoff Party.................. 11
Wish List....................................................................3
Lights of Love 2016...............................................8
Albertville Police Raise $7,212....................... 11
2
Shepherd’s Cove Hospice Newsletter
Donations of cash and gift cards are
always welcome! As a non-profit organization, we’re focused on fulfilling
the needs of our patients and their
families first. Monetary donations
help us to quickly and efficiently meet
the needs of our patients and their
families as well as all of our volunteer
and support staff. If you can’t make
a monetary donation, please refer
to the list below for specific items
needed immediately.
D
uring the turn of the new year,
you may have made a resolution to be more fit and active. Or
perhaps you resolved to give back to
the needs of your community. Maybe
you want to increase the team bond
among your coworkers or members of
your civic group, or you simply want
to honor the life of a loved one.
You can fulfill all of these goals
by participating in the 12th annual
Race to Remember on March 4. The
Race to Remember is the largest annual fundraiser for Shepherd’s Cove
Hospice. It starts and ends at the Albertville High School Coliseum. This
year’s race features a new 10K option,
in addition to the traditional 5K color
run and 1-mile fun run.
The Race to Remember is a chiptimed race that takes place on a
USATF-certified course, but not all
participants are serious runners.
Many simply want to give back and
provide a different kind of hope to
others – the hope for peace and
dignity at the end of life, the hope for
joy after loss, the hope to fulfill a final
wish before saying goodbye.
Thanks in part to support received
through the Race to Remember,
Shepherd’s Cove Hospice has been
able to provide this hope to all in our
nine-county service area who need
it, regardless of their ability to pay, for
35 years.
Individual participants are welcome, but teams make it more fun.
We encourage everyone to gather
their neighbors, friends, family, coworkers, church congregations, etc.
to form a team.
Many families participate in the
race as a team to honor the memory
of a loved one. Local businesses and
corporations form groups to participate as a team-building experience
and hold their own mini-fundraising
events to support that team. Ask us
about our team options and discounts.
Whether you participate individually or gather your loved ones
or coworkers to join you, we want to
hear your story. Email Annah Grace
Morgan at amorgan@shepherdscove.
org and tell us why you’re participating.
If you want to know more about
the race, check out hospicemc5k.
com or give us a call at 256-891-7724.
Donations can be made in person or
online at shepherdscovehospice.
org.
Patient + Family Needs
ŸŸHandheld
shower heads for use in
patients’ homes
ŸŸColorful deep pocket EXTRA LONG
twin sheets or jersey-style sheets
ŸŸColored towels and washcloths
ŸŸOscillating floor fans
ŸŸNeck pillows
ŸŸElectric razor
ŸŸAir conditioners & plug-in heaters
ŸŸSnacks for the nourishment room
ŸŸGift cards for various patient/family
needs
Staff Needs
ŸŸ20-30
gallon trash bags for Thrift
Shoppe
ŸŸGift cards for staff/volunteer
recognition and fundraising
incentives
ŸŸSenior Center BINGO prizes: dish
detergent, hand soap, lotion, paper
towels, laundry detergent, food
storage containers, candles, dish
towels, candy, cookies, snacks,
trinkets, etc.
See our full wish list by visiting
shepherdscovehospice.org.
Thank you for supporting Shepherd’s Cove Hospice. We hope to see
you on March 4! l
www.shepherdscovehospice.org
3
Donations Needed!
Wish List
Celebrating Our Employees
unit as a team nurse until February of
2015, when she went back to school.
After earning her degree, Hoffman
returned in 2016 in the role of primary
on call nurse. About five months ago,
she took on the role of a homecare
RN case manager.
C
hrystal Hoffman was named
Employee of the Year at our
Board of Directors-sponsored Christmas breakfast. When asked how she
felt about being nominated and
chosen for the award, Hoffman stated,
“Well, I was very honored to just
be nominated. We work with some
amazing people who are giving, loving, selfless, and compassionate; so
just to be recognized as one of the
best made me tear up a little. I am not
one to cry, but when I won this honor,
I did have some tears. It is wonderful to be appreciated by my peers,
to know that I am doing a good job
not only as a nurse but as a team
member. The team we have here is
why we are the best around. From
our amazing hospice care aides, to
our dietary staff, unit secretaries, and
our management, we have a fabulous
bunch of people who love and give
of themselves each and every day.”
Hoffman first came to Shepherd’s
Cove Hospice in October of 2011, as
an LPN, working as a referral specialist in the admissions department,
and then moved to the inpatient
4
Shepherd’s Cove Hospice Newsletter
When asked about her role at SCH,
Hoffman stated, “I have two jobs at
Shepherd’s Cove Hospice. I am a case
manager, which involves managing
my patients to maintain comfort,
managing new or chronic symptoms,
and educating the patient and family
on disease process, symptom management, and use of medications. I
particularly enjoy the education part
of this role, I have found if the patient
and family understand the importance of the medications and how it
will benefit them, they are more likely
to be compliant with their medications. This makes them feel better
overall and also makes my job easier.
My second job is providing back-up
on call Monday-Friday nights. I assist
the primary on-call nurse when she is
busy with a patient or if there are two
patients needing care at once. We
always have two nurses on call 24/7,
along with a social worker, and supervisor in case of emergent needs.”
Hoffman’s passion for her job shines
through in her everyday activities,
which make it obvious why she would
have been chosen by her peers to be
Employee of the Year. In her words,
the favorite aspect of her job is
“patient care and interaction with my
patients on a personal level is what
makes me love my job the way I do.
I love getting to know ‘my people,’
what makes them tick, things that
make them laugh, and just learning
about their lives. I love to listen to a
veteran’s story of their time in war
“
We work with some
amazing people
who are giving,
loving, selfless, and
compassionate
so just to be
recognized as one
of the best made
me tear up a
little...The team we
have here is why
we are the best
around. From our
amazing hospice
care aides, to our
dietary staff, unit
secretaries, and our
management, we
have a fabulous
bunch of people
who love and give
of themselves each
and every day.
”
and share a laugh together as I tell of
some of my Army war stories, tales of
parenting woes, or talking about fried
taters and pinto beans. Every person
is unique and wonderful in their
own right. I love to find what makes
them who they are. Learning about
them helps me in my job as a nurse
because I can teach better if I know
ways to bring it home to the patient
in a way they understand.” l
Thank you for your
service & commitment!
ing people, whether it’s my patients
or their families. I also love the family
atmosphere at Shepherd’s Cove
Hospice and how everyone supports
everyone else. My coworkers are
THE BEST.”
A
thena Taylor was named
Rookie of the Year at our Board
of Directors-sponsored Christmas
breakfast. She stated she was surprised and honored to be nominated
and chosen for the award.
Calendar of Events
Taylor, an RN, began her career at
SCH in April 2016 serving patients
in home-care and then transferred
to our inpatient unit in August 2016.
When asked about the favorite part
of her job, Taylor replied, “I love help-
Taylor’s final comments regarding
her award clearly convey precisely
why she was nominated and chosen to receive Rookie of the Year, “I
always try to learn something new
each day, whether it be a housekeeper showing me where to find the
Clorox wipes, a secretary showing me
where to file a document in the chart
or another nurse teaching me why
to use one medication vs. another
medication. It’s all important. When I
worked at MMCS, a nurse there, Trisha
Brooks, told me a nurse that thinks
they know everything is a dangerous
nurse. That has stuck with me and I
try to take that to heart every day.” l
RACE TO REMEMBER 2017
March 4, 2017
8:00 a.m.
Albertville High School
Coliseum
ANNUAL VOLUNTEER
TRAINING
April 22, 2017
8:00 a.m.
SCH Community Room
BEING MORTAL FILM
SCREENING
March 22, 2017
11:30 a.m.
SCH Community Room
HEARTWISE HEALTH
SCREENING
January 1 - March 31
Make an appointment and
$25 will be donated to SCH
(See page 7 for details.)
BEING MORTAL FILM
SCREENING
March 29, 2017
11:30 a.m.
Gadsden Senior Center
Pictured left to right: Pam Owens, Amanda
Hollingsworth, Aimee McBee, and Jennifer
Shelton.
SCH Team Goes to
Alabama Hospice
and Palliative
Care Organization
Conference
F
our members of the SCH team
attended the Alabama Hospice
and Palliative Care Organization’s annual conference in October 2016. The
theme for the conference was “Sailing
Toward Success.”
Pam Owens, Facility Clinical Director,
stated, “The two things that made
an impact on me and my practice
was the sensory depravation room to
mimic Alzheimer’s and talking with
a long-time hospice nurse who also
started a facility care team years ago.
I believe the more I know, the more
I will be able to join in the conversation with what is working and what
we need help with as a hospice in
Alabama.”
Jennifer Shelton, Home Care Clinical
Director, also came away from the
conference with some “nuggets.” She
stated, “The AHPCO conference was
an amazing experience. I received invaluable information and met some of
the state’s top leaders in the hospice
field. I recommend the conference to
everyone in our profession.” l
www.shepherdscovehospice.org
5
Checking Off
Bucket Lists
O
ne of the things our care team
assesses in new patients is any
“bucket list” or “last wish” items. Those
items vary from shopping trips to fishing trips and everything in-between.
However, one common thread in
these “bucket list” adventures is family.
Oftentimes the activity the patient
wants to accomplish involves family
members.
R
One of our RN case managers,
Stephanie Johnson, learned of such
a “bucket list” wish of one of her
homecare patients that involved a
great love between a grandmother
and her sports-minded granddaughter. Johnson had spoken, at length,
with the patient and family about
details of said “bucket list” and one
item, in particular, was the patient being able to watch her granddaughter
play basketball.
Johnson, being a “sports mom”
herself, felt an immediate sense of
camaraderie with the patient and saw
a window of opportunity that she felt
could not be overlooked. It just so
happened that the Lady Aggies had
a mock scrimmage game scheduled
for the same day as the “bucket list”
conversation and Johnson wanted
to help our patient check one item
off of her list. So, she kicked into high
gear and found someone who could
6
personalize a t-shirt (on very short
notice) for the patient to proudly support her favorite Aggie! Johnson said,
“I could hardly wait to see the look on
her face when I gave her the shirt!”
And Johnson was not disappointed.
The old adage, “A picture is worth a
thousand words,” amply describes the
outcome for this little family adventure. l
Shepherd’s Cove Hospice Newsletter
honda Osborne, CEO, gave us a
glimpse into a precious moment
with her mother, who is being served
by SCH. Below, in her own words, she
shares a story about her mother’s
bucket list experience.
“So what does a bucket list and a
bridge have in common? As many of
you know, my mom is slowly declining in health (in fact we think she has
nine lives; she is tough as many of
her generation) and is a home care
patient of Shepherd’s Cove Hospice.
Over the weeks, mom and I have had
some enlightening conversations …
like she is not afraid to die, ‘every day
with Jesus is sweeter than the day
before,’ the love for her family and on
and on. She let me know there were
important events she wanted to see.
One was the birth of her great granddaughter (the first girl in the family in
26 years); she also thinks age 90 would
be a ‘good time to go’ (her birthday is
3/28), and she wanted to see the new
Red Mill Bridge as she never thought
it would happen in her life time. Our
family traveled over Red Mill double
bridges typically 6 out of 7 days a
week between school, mom going to
work at Bryant Furniture Manufacturing, and ‘going to town’ on Saturday.
Well, Cecily Kaye was born in
October and mom saw and held her
Thanksgiving and Christmas. With
the help of SCH Social Worker, Ashley
Priest, MMC EMS, Chris Keef and Chris
Brock, and Asbury Fire and Rescue,
Bryan and Kimberly Baker, mom saw
the bridge, up close and personal!
Mom is bed confined so seeing the
bridge wouldn’t happen without an
ambulance and this was not considered an emergency. But thankfully the
Lord held off emergencies so MMC
could take mom to see and drive
over the bridge!!! Bryan and Kimberly
blocked off traffic so they could stop
on the bridge, which allowed mom to
get a view from the bridge.
She was exhausted on her return
home, but it was a ‘good tired.’ Two
out of three on ‘the list’ done…
Now, the Lord has her birthday in His
control.” l
Being Mortal Film Screening
W
e are excited to announce
a wonderful opportunity!
Shepherd’s Cove Hospice’s community relations team has been given
the honor of working in partnership
with the Hospice Foundation of
America (HFA) to host community
screenings of PBS’s Frontline Special
report, Being Mortal. If you are not
already familiar with this, it is an
hour-long production featuring Dr.
Atul Gawande as a follow-up to his
bestselling book by the same name.
As a renowned surgeon and New
York writer, Dr. Gawande teams with
Frontline to bring his personal journey – and the stories of his patients
and families – to the forefront and
challenges us all to re-examine how
we think about aging and mortality,
and to encourage us to prepare for
our future care needs now.
Please make plans to join us on
March 22 at 11:30 a.m. in the SCH
community room or March 29 at
11:30 a.m. at the Gadsden Senior
Center. Lunch will be provided.
As part of the agreement with
HFA, we are able to host multiple
screenings of this production in as
many communities as are interested.
Each screening should have 50-100
attendees, and be followed by a
discussion of the movie to solicit
attendees’ thoughts and perceptions; it is approximately a two-hour
commitment. If you know of other
community partners who might
be interested in hosting a viewing,
please let us know. l
We would like to take this
opportunity to thank our
Sponsors.
Legacy Level Sponsors
Legacy Level Sponsors are those who
chose to sponsor at a minimum level of
$1,000. We sincerely appreciate your
contribution and truly could not do what
we do without your support!
R
General
and Cosmetic
Dentistry
John G. Rutland, D.M.D.
Heartwise Health Assessment
I
n the first quarter of 2016, approximately 200 people took advantage
of a free head-to-toe health assessment at the Heartwise clinic in
Albertville as part of a fundraiser for
Shepherd’s Cove Hospice. Last year,
Heartwise (Isaac Health & Prevention
Partners, LLC) donated $5,000 through
this unique fundraising opportunity
to help fund our mission. They are
offering the same opportunity again
in 2017!
Participants receive the following
tests (again, free of charge):
ŸŸ HCV Profiler—a device that
straps on your wrist that
measures arterial stiffness
ŸŸ Blood pressure response to
activity (short walk on a treadmill)
ŸŸ Vascular eye photo ŸŸ Carotid IMT—measures
thickening and plaque
ŸŸ Abdominal aortic ultrasound—
looks for aneurysm
ŸŸ EKG—detects abnormal
electrical activity in the heart
ŸŸ Pulmonary function test—
measures lung function
ŸŸ Blood work—Thyroid panel,
cholesterol, testosterone, liver
function tests, tests for tell-tale
inflammation in your body as
well as your heart, and many,
many more are included!
Many insurance policies require a
wellness visit or provide incentives
for wellness visits each year. Heartwise qualifies and provides over 5
pages of lab results with absolutely
no out-of-pocket costs! AND Shepherd’s Cove Hospice receives $25 for
every visit through March 31! Please
take advantage of this amazing
opportunity to be an active part of
your healthcare while raising funds
for a great cause! Contact Melika
Nixon by phone at 256-682-8973 or
email at [email protected]. l
Good Shepherd Sponsors are those who
chose to sponsor at a minimum level of
$7,500. We sincerely appreciate your
contribution and truly could not do what
we do without your support!
ŸŸ Left ventricular ultrasound
www.shepherdscovehospice.org
7
Lights of Love 2016
De ar Sh ep he rd ’s
Co ve Ho sp ice St
af f & Vo lunte ers,
I wa nted to ta ke
a mo me nt to th an
k yo u fo r ho st ing
Lig hts of Lo ve ev
th e
ent last nig ht. It
wa
s ve ry sp ec ial . My
da dd y pa ss ed aw
ay in Ju ne . Ever
yo ne (from th e nu
th e so cia l wo rk er
rs es to
s) at Sh ep he rd ’s
Co ve Ho sp ice ha
be en prof es sio na
ve alw ay s
l, pe rs on ab le an d
extrem ely he lpf ul
ve ry dif fic ult tim
du
rin g a
e.
Th e event last nig
ht wa s just an ot
he r ex am ple of th
attitud e an d giv ing
e ca rin g
sp iri t th at Sh ep
he rd ’s Co ve Ho sp
a re puta tio n fo r.
ice ha s
Th an k yo u ag ain .
—The Ch af fin Fa
mi ly
viduals, living and
deceased, were
honored that
night with lights
and music.
Thank you to
everyone who
supported the
event through
gifts or attendance. We hope
you received a
blessing during
the busy holiday
season.
I
f you drove by Shepherd’s Cove Hospice on Martling Road during one of
the mild December evenings in 2016,
you likely noticed the large Lights of
Love tree wrapped with hundreds of
shining lights on the front lawn.
Each of those lights represented
the life of a beloved individual in our
community. The tree was lit during
the annual Lights of Love event on
December 13. More than 750 indi-
8
Shepherd’s Cove Hospice Newsletter
Lights of Love is
a special occasion
offering individuals and families
the opportunity
to honor the lives of their loved ones
by sponsoring a light on the Lights
of Love tree. Families gather at the
facility each year for the event, which
includes a hospitality hour featuring
refreshments, holiday music and other
activities, and a tree-lighting ceremony, closing with the lighting of the
Lights of Love tree.
In addition to bringing some measure of comfort to grieving families,
Lights of Love also offers individuals
and businesses an opportunity to provide peace and hope to others in the
community facing end-of-life issues by
supporting the mission of Shepherd’s
Cove Hospice.
Lights of Love 2016 raised more
than $15,000 for the agency through
corporate sponsorships and individual
contributions. We cannot offer enough
gratitude to those who supported the
event. Shepherd’s Cove Hospice served
more than 600 families in 2016 alone,
regardless of their ability to pay. This is
only possible through the generosity of
individuals and businesses in our community who support Shepherd’s Cove
Hospice.
Your gifts of time and treasure make
an indescribable difference in the lives
of those in your community facing the
end of their life or that of a loved one.
On behalf of these individuals and the
whole Shepherd’s Cove Hospice team,
thank you!
*Mark your calendars for Lights of
Love 2017 on December 12! To learn
about other ways you can help the
mission of SCH in 2017 through gifts of
time, goods, services, or financial support, call 256-891-7724. l
Christmas at
Shepherd’s Cove
hepherd’s Cove Hospice (SCH)
is one of United Way of Marshall
County’s 22 partner agencies. Each
year, United Way hosts Day of Caring
(DOC), which is an opportunity for
volunteers to have a hands-on impact
in the community. BancorpSouth
employees adopted a DOC project for
SCH. Several of their staff members
came to decorate our building for the
holiday season, and then returned in
January to remove the decorations
and prepare them for storage. Sometimes people do not get to see the
behind-the-scenes elves that make
our building so beautiful and festive
for the holidays, but we want to take
a moment and thank them for all of
their work.
Try this recipe!
S
Lights of Love
Cocoa Mix
Recipe 10 cups dry milk
powder
4¾ cups powder sugar
1¾ cups cocoa powder
1¾ cups nondairy creamer
(french vanilla or chocolate)
In large mixing bowl, combine
all ingredients. Mix well with a
wire whisk. Put ¼ cup of cocoa
mix into your favorite mug and
fill with steaming hot water. Stir,
enjoy, and have a warm winter!
Thank you, BancorpSouth! l
Above Left: SCH staff
caroling at Albertville
Nursing Home.
Above: Boaz Gifted Students at SCH for a day of
caroling.
Bottom: Albertville
Elementary 4th grade choir
caroling for SCH staff and
patients.
www.shepherdscovehospice.org
9
Meet Our Staff
M
eet Robbie Mashburn – typically the first face/voice you will
see/hear for Shepherd’s Cove Hospice.
Mashburn is the receptionist at SCH.
Mashburn stated, “I asked God to put
me in a place where I could serve
Him and help people at the same
time.” And here she is after almost ten
years of service. Mashburn actually
began working at SCH in housekeeping, where she was able to meet a lot
of patients and families as she went
about her duties. This created a great
love for just being around people.
Mashburn stated, “I enjoyed each
day, sharing a smile or encouraging
someone along the way.” That love of
people eventually landed her the job
of receptionist, which is her current
position. In that role, she has to juggle
multiple tasks which include answering the phone and greeting everyone
that walks through the front doors.
Mashburn stated, “I try to make each
person feel they are special.” Other
duties include managing outgoing
and incoming mail, assisting in a
plethora of bulk mailings, and a newly
assigned task of creating staff ID
badges. But one of her favorite parts
of her job is working alongside agency
volunteers. Mashburn said, “We always
have a good time together. They put a
smile on my face! Each day brings on
a new adventure.”
When asked about favorite “hospice-related” stories, Mashburn said,
q Shepherd’s Cove Hospice Newsletter
“I have two stories that stand out in
my mind. The first one is from a few
years back when we had threats of
tornados. Our CEO, Rhonda Osborne,
her husband Ray, and Neal Terrell
(the Board President at the time)
came to our inpatient facility to help
move patients into the hallways as a
standard safety precaution. It was a
long process and a little stressful. We
didn’t even have time to stop and eat
dinner. After all of the tornado warnings/watches had expired, Neal Terrell
and his mom brought everyone
supper. The kindness they showed to
us all has stayed with me through all
these years.”
The second story Mashburn shared
was of a more recent event. “Our bereavement department was serving a
child who had lost her mother. Each
week when she would come, with
her caregiver, to meet with bereavement staff, I would talk with her. One
day, she came in before the holidays
and I could tell she was really feeling
down, so I was talking with her about
getting through the first holiday
without her mom. I offered a suggestion that might help her. The next
time she came she in, I learned she
did what I had suggested and said
it had helped. While she was there, I
gave her a sheep one of the volunteers had given me ( *purple sheep
are made for staff recognition) – I just
felt led to give it to her and thought
it would help. When they came back
for her next appointment, her caregiver said. ‘Thank you for what you
did. She sleeps with her sheep every
night.’ Hearing this made my heart
smile. I feel if I can help one person
get through a bad day, then I have
done what God has asked of me.”
Mashburn also loves her family.
When not working, she enjoys taking trips on a motorcycle with her
husband of 21 years, Jeff. They have
traveled to Georgia, North Carolina
and Florida and hope to expand their
horizons even more on future vacation spots.
But one of Mashburn’s greatest
joys is her only child, Brandon. He
is a junior in high school this year.
Mashburn loves going to his football
games and cheering him on from
the stands (even though he says she
embarrasses him with her exuberant cheerleading). Her answer to his
“plight” is, “That’s just what moms
do.” Mashburn looks forward to his
senior year next year, but knows it
will be bittersweet since it is always
hard for mothers to watch their
babies take that milestone step of
graduation.
In closing, Mashburn stated her
overarching goal is to be able to approach each day with an opportunity
to make someone smile or offer a
word of encouragement along the
way, especially when it comes to the
patients and families served at Shepherd’s Cove Hospice. l
*
Welcome!
New Staff Corner
Amber
Doebler,
RN
Danielle
Williams,
HCA
Thank you!
Cheers, Race Kickoff Party
Laura! A
round 100 local residents joined us
for the Race to Remember Kickoff
Party on January 26 at Bakers on Main in
Guntersville.
Although planning for the Race to
Remember begins almost a full year
before the big day, this annual kickoff
event invites the community to begin
the celebration of life and get excited
about the largest annual fundraiser
for the Shepherd’s Cove Foundation.
Highlights of the 2017 event included a
popular silent auction that helped jump
start fundraising efforts for the race, food
catered by Legghorn’s in Albertville, and
live entertainment by the Fulwiders.
Perhaps the most meaningful aspects
of the evening are the personal stories
and testimonies from some of the race’s
biggest supporters, such as Mandy
Broadhurst, captain of the Remembering
Dora team. Team Remembering Dora was
new to the race last year and honored
the life of Dora Moore, Mandy’s mother.
Mandy’s family and closest friends
gathered together to show their support
and love for Dora in a way that will make
a difference in the lives of others in their
community through supporting and
raising funds for the Shepherd’s Cove
Foundation.
Thank you to everyone who attended
the kickoff event. Your support of the
Race to Remember helps ensure that all
your loved ones and neighbors have a
friend and companion to help them walk
through their end-of-life journey, regardless of their ability to pay. l
Thank You APD!
T
hank you to the Guntersville
Chamber for allowing us to present Laura Givens with an appreciation award for her Planned Giving
Council (PGC) service at their
Networking at Noon luncheon in
December. Founded in September
2013, the Planned Giving Council
is a diverse group of community
volunteers who serve Shepherd’s
Cove Hospice by providing advice
and education to our agency and
the community at large on charitable giving vehicles, customized
giving approaches that match personal interests, and tax planning
needs. If you’d like to learn more
about this service opportunity,
please let us know! Laura has been
involved with the PGC since the
beginning, and we are honored
by her dedication to our mission!
Thanks, Laura, for serving those
coping with end-of-life issues! l
Albertville Police Raise $7,212
A
pproximately 15 officers from
the Albertville Police Department participated in “No Shave
November,” using the time to raise
funds for SCH. They exceeded their
2015 gift by raising $7,212!
Chief Doug Pollard extended special thanks to Albertville Elementary
School, Albertville Primary School,
Evans Elementary School, and Albertville Middle School for their fundraising efforts in support of “No Shave
November.”
Pictured L to R: Brenda Mayhall,
Officer Lawrence, Officer Atwell,
Chief Pollard, Officer Ball and Rhonda
Osborne. l
www.shepherdscovehospice.org
w
Shepherd’s Cove Hospice walks with families and individuals of all ages as they journey through end
of life and the stages of grief, helping them understand what to expect and bringing peace, comfort,
and hope. For more information about hospice care, call us today at 256-891-7724.
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Shepherd’s Cove Hospice
408 Martling Road, Albertville, AL 35951
256-891-7724 | 1-888-334-9336
www.shepherdscovehospice.org | [email protected]
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