VHOCC Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County

05/21/2026

Don't forget this evenings Death Café "Tea to Die For" gathering at Studio Bob, 118 ½ E. Front St., in Port Angeles. It starts at 5:30 p.m. and wraps up at 7 p.m.

Death Cafe is an international movement of hosting informal gatherings for the simple purpose of discussing death. Folks come together to share what is on their minds and hearts, without a particular theme or topic other than death.

Conversations are held every second Monday in Sequim and every third Thursday and fourth Wednesday in Port Angeles.

For more information, phone VHOCC at 360-452-1511.

05/19/2026

We are very pleased to honor Vicki Kirchner for the Volunteer of the Month for May. Thanks to Vicki's support, several patients were able to put their affairs in order with greater peace of mind. We are grateful for her compassion and dedication to this work and are pleased to recognize her with a gift certificate to Chestnut Cottage Restaurant. Thank you to Chestnut Cottage Restaurant for their generosity.

05/14/2026

Death Café “Tea to Die For” is scheduled for Thursday, May 21, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Studio Bob, 118 ½ E. Front St., and Wednesday, May 27, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in VHOCC's conference room, 829 E. 8th St., both in Port Angeles.

The groups are free and open to all and do not require prior registration.

Death Cafe is an international movement of hosting informal gatherings for the simple purpose of discussing death. Folks come together to share what is on their minds and hearts, without a particular theme or topic other than death.

To learn more about Death Cafe, visit deathcafe.com.

For more information, phone VHOCC at 360-452-1511.

05/12/2026

This talk scheduled for tomorrow Wednesday, has been canceled.
“What Matters at the End of Life” with Barbara Karnes, RN, scheduled noon to 1:30 p.m.

Karnes is the author of “Gone from My Sight: The Dying Experience” and many other end-of-life resources, and her articles have been featured in The NY Times, USA Today, Huffington Post, Thrive Global and The Washington Post, among others.

To register, visit volunteerhospice.org or call 360-452-1511.

For more information about Karnes, visit bkbooks.com.

For more information about VHOCC, visit its website, volunteerhospice.org

VHOCC’s Speaker Series and other Soul Care programs are supported by the Albert and Helen Mangan Fund.

05/11/2026

Don't forget Death Cafe "Tea to Die For" will be served today from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the KSQM-FM Community Room, 609 W. Washington St., No. 17, in Sequim.

The groups are free and open to all and do not require prior registration.

Additional gatherings are scheduled Thursday, May 21, and Wednesday, May 27, in Port Angeles. See the flyer for times and locations.

For more information, phone VHOCC at 360-452-1511.

05/11/2026

If you're grieving the loss of a pet and need support, stop by Olympic Peninsula Humane Society's Kitty City, 91 S. Boyce Road, Sequim, today at 3 p.m. for a pet loss support group. Individuals knowledgeable of the special bond between humans and their pets and the grieving process will facilitate the meeting.

Sponsored by OPHS and VHOCC, the gatherings are open to any community member who has been affected by the loss of an animal. They are drop-in meetings and require no prior registration. Participants can come to as many meetings as needed.

Participants are invited to bring a memento of their pet – such as a photo, collar or toy – to display during the meeting and will have the opportunity to share with others about their furry, feathered or scaled family members. Taking the time to grieve and talk about the loss of a pet helps many owners begin processing their grief and find coping strategies.

For more information, call VHOCC at 360-452-1511.

Photo by Patrick Hendry via unsplash

05/09/2026

A conversation with an end of life doula: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/when-hospice-isnt-enough-why-families-call-an-end/id1711272921?i=1000766622869 Comforting Closure

Podcast Episode · Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula · May 7 · 57m

05/07/2026

Death Café “Tea to Die For" is part of an international movement of informal gatherings for folks come together to share what is on their minds and hearts, without a particular theme or topic other than death.

VHOCC sponsors 3 such gatherings each month on the second Monday, third Thursday, and fourth Wednesday.

On Monday, June 11, Tea to Die For will be held from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the KSQM-FM Community Room, 609 W. Washington St., No. 17, in Sequim. On Thursday, June 18, it is scheduled 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Studio Bob, 118 ½ E. Front St., in Port Angeles. On Wednesday, June 24, the meeting will be in VHOCC's conference room, 829 E. 8th St., in Port Angeles from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The groups are free and open to all and do not require prior registration.

For more information, phone VHOCC at 360-452-1511.

05/06/2026

Coming up Wednesday, May 13, is VHOCC's next installment of its Soul Care Speaker Series with Barbara Karnes, RN, titled “What Matters at the End of Life.” with Barbara Karnes, RN, is VHOCC’s next installment in its Soul Care Speaker Series. It is scheduled online from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Karnes is the author of “Gone from My Sight: The Dying Experience” and many other end-of-life resources, and her articles have been featured in The NY Times, USA Today, Huffington Post, Thrive Global and The Washington Post, among others. Karnes’ career spans four decades and began as an early hospice pioneer during the AIDS crisis.

In addition to years spent at the bedside caring for patients and their families as a nurse, she has also served as executive director of hospice and various home-health agencies. She has worked through the hospice ranks as patient care manager, clinical director, staff, nurse and volunteer. Karnes is a dedicated end-of-life educator, training professionals, authoring resource materials, booklets, movies and a blog.

To register, visit volunteerhospice.org or call 360-452-1511.

For more information about Karnes, visit bkbooks.com.
For more information about VHOCC, visit its website, volunteerhospice.org.

VHOCC’s Speaker Series and other Soul Care programs are supported by the Albert and Helen Mangan Fund.

05/06/2026

Today marks the beginning of National Nurses Week, and at VHOCC we are taking a moment to celebrate the extraordinary nurses who show up every day with skill, compassion, and heart.

In hospice and palliative care, nursing is so much more than medications, assessments, and clinical expertise. It is sitting quietly at the bedside when words aren’t needed. It is guiding families through some of life’s hardest moments. It is answering the phone in the middle of the night, offering reassurance, comfort, and steady hands when they are needed most.

This week, we honor and thank our incredible nursing team: Becca, Brittany, Deb, Deanna, Ellen, Haley, Joe, Lynn, Mary, Molly, & Stephanie

Your compassion changes lives. Your expertise brings comfort. Your presence brings peace. And your commitment ensures that no one in our community faces serious illness, dying, or grief alone.

You are the heart of this mission, and we are deeply grateful for each of you… not just this week, but EVERY DAY!