Mayor: Back down on funeral issue (08/15/06)

To the editor:

This suing is just silly.

The mayor (of Portland) could have asked the heads of departments to go to the viewing and funeral (of late clerk-treasurer Barbara Blackford in 2005).

I'm sure the lady that died is turning over in her grave at all the stupidity that's going on right now.

Mr. Mayor, just take the reprimands out of the peoples' files and do the same to the supervisor's file who stood up for his people.

These lawsuits are a waste of money for the courts to mess with. Can't you (Mr. Mayor) just do what's right? It doesn't take anything away from you as mayor. It makes you a better mayor. Besides, funerals and viewing were for family and friends that loved her.

She wouldn't want people to be there that were very resentful and mad about having to be there. It's hard on her family and friends.

I think you have been a great mayor except for this issue.

Dorcas Fields

Rural Portland

Silver anniversary

To the editor:

We are proud to announce that 2006-2007 will be our 25th year serving hospice patients and their families in the Jay and Randolph County areas. We have been honored to be a resource for persons needing expert pain and symptom management and grief support in patient homes, nursing homes or in Jay County Hospital and the St. Vincent Randolph Hospital.

We are also very appreciative of receiving assistance for these services from donations originating in these counties, including United Way. Numerous area physicians refer patients to our home health and hospice services and we have contracts with local nursing homes to serve their hospice patients.

State of the Heart Home Health and Hospice is an active member in National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the Ohio Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.

We are accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and had a perfect survey for our triennial period in 2005. In addition, State of the Heart is active in Portland Chamber of Commerce and the Women's Giving Circle associated with the Portland Foundation.

Hospice patients in this community are served by care teams at State of the Heart which include Physicians, Nurses, Home Health Aides, Social Workers, Bereavement Specialists, chaplains, and a Music Therapist.

In addition, we maintain a group of over 120 volunteers. State of the Heart provides a very successful children's grief camp, called Camp BEARable. For six years, this special event has been attended by 182 children. The camp is free of charge to any child who is grieving. This past July the camp hosted 48 children, most from western Ohio; however, our plan is to begin such a camp in Jay or Randolph County as sponsors are found.

This fall State of the Heart will conduct a pilot family camp (Camp Harmony) in conjunction with Children's Medical Center of Dayton and Hospice of Miami County, Ohio. Besides music and art therapy during the camp, families will experience equine therapy with the horses at Harmony Reins in Minster. We hope this will be so successful that it will become an annual event, as well.

We are especially proud of the professional and compassionate staff which has become our benchmark reputation in eastern Indiana and western Ohio. To review our services or contact our offices, visit http://www.stateoftheheartcare.org.

It is a privilege and honor to have served Jay and Randolph Counties and we look forward to continuing to carry out our mission to the area in the future.

Respectfully submitted,

Tammy Fox RN, BSN, MS, CHPN

Executive Director/CEO,

State of the Heart

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