Fall/Winter 2012

I N F O R M A T I O N F O R D O N O R S A N D F R I E N D S O F T I D E W E L L H O S P I C E

The first recipient of the Tidewell Angel pin is Kimberly Cook-Lee, PRN Social Worker pictured above, left, with PRN Clinical Director Margo Post.

Introducing the Tidewell Angel Gratitude Program

They’re often called “angels” by the people they serve. They enter the lives of patients and their loved ones when they are at their most vulner-able and bring guidance, hope and a compassionate touch. Their greatest reward is in making a difficult experience one that’s ultimately dignified and meaningful.

That is exactly what happened at the Bradenton Hospice House when PRN Social Worker Kimberly Cook-Lee noticed that Mrs. Donald Williams appeared upset and needed to talk.

“Kimberly asked just the right questions at just the right time,” Mrs. Williams said. “After my conver-sation with her, I felt a tremendous sense of relief. Kimberly went above and beyond to be supportive of me and my husband. Everyone at the Hospice House was so professional and caring. They knew what was needed to keep us comfortable. I wish I had brought him to Tidewell sooner.”

If you or your family has been touched by a Tidewell Hospice “angel,” there is now a special way to acknowledge that individual. The Tidewell Angel gratitude program allows you to say “thank you” to the doctor, nurse, nursing assistant, social worker, grief specialist, chaplain or volunteer – anyone on the team who made a difference.

When you honor your Tidewell Angel, the effects of your generosity are personal and far-reaching.Kimberly was recognized with a custom-crafted Tidewell Angel pin to wear proudly, based on Mrs.

Williams’ gift; and other colleagues and volunteers will be recognized in the same way through the Tidewell Angel program. It’s one of the most significant and memorable forms of support you can of-fer. And your monetary contribution – of any size – helps sustain innovative programs and services for other patients and families in Tidewell’s care, now and in the future.

To make a gift, please visit www.givetotidewell.org or call 941-552-7597.

Did you know? ... Matching GiftsMatching gifts can double or even triple your gift to Tidewell,

at no additional cost. You may be eligible if you or your spouse are employed, serve on a board for, or are retired from a match-ing gift company. Contact your company’s human resources department to find out if your employer will match your gift.

For donations already made or those done online, send the matching gifts form via mail, e-mail or fax to:

Tidewell HospicePhilanthropy Department5595 Rand Blvd.Sarasota, FL 34238Fax: (941) 552-7588matchinggifts@tidewell.org

A note from Denise Charity. Generosity.

Benevolence. Altruism. Kindness. Donate. Be-stow. Give. Contribute. Bequeath. Provide. Phi-lanthropy. There are many words that signi-fy support of a not-for-profit organization.

People who make gifts to Tidewell of-ten say they were deeply inspired by their experience with our organization. They may be grateful for the care they or their loved one received and they want to ex-press their gratitude. That is why I am so excited about the new Tidewell Angel program, where you can honor your care-giver through a charitable gift and we can publicly acknowledge the remarkable work of a member of our team.

In the many years that I have had the good fortune of connecting people to causes which are important to them, I have learned that giving to make some-thing better, or to continue good works, makes the giver feel great! Giving is a per-sonal act, but has impact that resonates far and wide.

I know that some may wonder how much an individual’s donation can make a difference. But, the gift of one, com-bined with those of others, can, and does, make such a difference. At Tidewell, that means more people receive compas-sionate end-of-life care and their families get the support they need to help them through the tremendous loss.

No matter what a person’s motivation for giving, Tidewell takes the responsibil-ity of handling those gifts with gratitude and respect, and being the very best stew-ard of that investment.

Taking care of patients, their fami-lies and our community is at the root of philanthropy at Tidewell. Thank you for your confidence and investment in us. If you would like to discuss options for giving, please contact me directly at 941/552-7658 or at dpope@tidewell.org.

Warm regards,

Denise M. Pope, CFRE Chief Philanthropy Officer

Tidewell Hospice is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization whose federal identification number is 59-1911861. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (1-800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

Trustee Profile: Thomas Stuhley

Tom joined Tidewell‘s Board of Trustees in 2011 and current-ly serves as chair of the Philan-thropy Committee. He is also a member of the Board of Direc-tors of Approved Home Health, a division of Tidewell Home Health, LLC.

“My goals for Tidewell are associated with edu-cating the community about the vital role philan-thropy serves in ensuring that the full range of high-quality services Tidewell provides continue to be available to everyone in the community,” Tom said.

A native of Southern California, Tom attended the University of Arizona where he received a bachelor’s degree in economics and speech. He served as a banking officer, director and organizer at several Northern Illinois banks before purchas-ing a small community bank in southern Wiscon-sin in 1988. The purchase grew into the successful chain of MidAmerica Banks.

Tom is a member of the Casey Key Association Board and the Asolo Repertory Theatre Endow-ment Foundation. He and his wife, Cindy, are 30-year residents of Casey Key. They have three grown children and eight grandchildren.

COLUMBIA’S COMMUNITY HARVEST BENEFITS TIDEWELL

Satisfy your appetite and ben-efit Tidewell Hospice at the Co-lumbia Restaurant’s 15th Annual Community Harvest. Each September, the Columbia donates five-percent of guests’ lunch and dinner checks to a charitable organization of their choice. Select Tidewell Hospice and enjoy your meal. See you in September at the Columbia’s Sarasota location at St. Armand’s Circle.

Call toll free: 1-800-274-8702or visit Tidewell’s website and make your donation online: www.givetotidewell.org

TIDEWELL HOSPICE NAMING OPPORTUNITIES

A naming opportunity can be a path to healing while celebrating the life of a loved one. Just ask Tidewell volunteer Tom Atchison, who recently dedicated a Queen Palm tree in the En-glewood Hospice House Remembrance Garden in honor of his wife, Mickey. Adjacent to the garden is an engraved brick that Tom and his family also donated to celebrate Mickey’s life.

“The garden offers unique opportunities for families and friends to pay tribute to loved ones in a meaningful way.” Tom said.

Hearing a name evokes memories, and see-ing the name in a beautiful setting reminds us of special times shared. All of Tidewell’s hospice houses have naming opportunities available. Donors can choose to honor their loved one by dedicating a building, a room, a fireplace, a foot bridge, engraved bricks for the walkway, a palm tree, shrubs, flowers, a bench, a fountain and more.

Creating a named endowment fund is another available opportunity to provide a lasting legacy. The fund can be established in the donor’s name or in honor of a loved one. Donors can designate funds to be distributed for a specific purpose or request that support be directed where need is greatest.

For more information about naming opportunities, please contact Denise Pope at 941-552-7658 or dpope@tidewell.org.

Tidewell Care Center Opens at Lakewood Ranch Hospital

Tidewell Hospice and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center (LWRMC) have collaborated to create the area’s first inpatient hospice unit located within a hospital. The six-bed Tide-well Care Center, under a lease agreement with LWRMC, began operation in early June.

Hospice patients residing in the Lakewood Ranch area previously had to transfer to Tidewell’s hospice houses in either Ellenton or Sarasota for inpatient care. Under the new arrangement, patients now have a more con-venient alternative.

“Our goal is to help people who choose our care make the most of every day, with dignity and quality,” Tidewell Hospice President and

CEO Gerry Radford said. “The Tidewell Care Center gives area residents a local op-tion. Instead of time spent traveling to a more distant location, family members can spend that time in a much more memorable way with their loved one.”

The Tidewell Care Center is located on the hospital’s third floor. The center oper-ates independently from LWRMC and is staffed 24/7 by experienced Tidewell Hos-pice clinical professionals. It features six private rooms and a family room. Funds are being sought to furnish the family area. If you are interested in contributing, please contact Aida Matic at 941-552-7551.

Criteria for admission are the same as for Tidewell’s hospice houses. Patients in need of continuous symptom control are admitted to the care center for around-the-clock care while their condition is stabilized. When symptoms are brought un-der control and patients and family members feel comfortable making the transi-tion, they can return to where most patients really want to be — their own home.

Tidewell Hospice, Inc.Philanthropy Department5955 Rand Blvd.Sarasota, FL 34238

YOUR CHARITABLE GIFTS TRANSFORM LIVESThe Lakewood Ranch Community Fund of the Manatee Community Foundation and the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch awarded grants to Tidewell’s Grief Education and Support Center to sup-port its in-school program.

Professional grief counselors meet with students in elementary, middle and high schools to help them cope with grief after the death of someone they knew – a family member, friend, teacher or

fellow student. Students meet with counselors individually or in groups. All of Tidewell’s bereavement programs are supported entirely by charitable contributions and the students are not charged for the service.

The school-based grief support program for students meets a critical need in the community. Following seven student and two teacher deaths during the 2010-11 school year, Tidewell counselors served 1,402 Sarasota County students. After three student and two teacher deaths in Manatee County, Tidewell counselors served 160 grieving students.

The American Hospice Foundation reports a decrease in negative teen reactions—such as drug and alcohol misuse, thrill-seeking, aggressiveness and other risky behaviors—for students participating in counseling sessions.

In addition, Tidewell grief specialists provide training for teachers and guidance counselors at the beginning of the school year to help alert them to signs indicating students’ need for grief support. When tragedy strikes the youth in the community, Tidewell’s grief specialists are often called on to help young people cope with overwhelming stress, fear and anxiety – the byproducts of unresolved grief.

To support this vital service with a gift, please call Director of Philanthropy Aida Matic at 941-552-7551.

Jane Freitas Philanthropy Services Supervisor 941-552-7502, jfreitas@tidewell.org

Debbie Frey Data Analyst 941-552-7597, dfrey@tidewell.org

Philanthropy Contacts:

Denise M. Pope, CFREExecutive Vice PresidentChief Philanthropy Officer 941-552-7658, dpope@tidewell.org

Aida Matic, CFREAdminstrative Director of Philanthropy 941-552-7551, amatic@tidewell.org

Return service requested

Margie BadgerData Entry Specialist 941-552-7634, mbadger@tidewell.org

Barb Ross Executive Assistant 941-552-7546, bross@tidewell.org

SAVE THIS DATE: FRIDAY, FEB. 15, 2013Tidewell Hospice hosts its 4th Annual Compas-sion in Caring Luncheon at The Ritz-Carlton in downtown Sarasota. Sponsorships are available.

For more info, contact Tidewell’s Philanthropy Department at (941) 552-7502