Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County announces May events
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, May 6, 2026
The following are events scheduled by Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County (VHOCC) for the month of May. For more information, contact VHOCC at 360-452-1511.
Death Cafe ‘Tea to Die For’
Death Cafés “Tea to Die For” are set for Monday, May 11, in Sequim and Wednesday, May 27, in Port Angeles, both from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. A third monthly gathering is scheduled Thursday, May 21, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in PA.
The Monday discussion will be held in the Community Room at KSQM-FM 91.5, 609 W. Washington St., No. 17, in Sequim while the Wednesday talk will be held in VHOCC’s conference room, 829 E. Eighth St. The Thursday gathering will be at Studio Bob, 118 ½ E. Front St., 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.
Conversations are held every second Monday in Sequim and every fourth Wednesday and third Thursday in Port Angeles.
Pet Loss Support Group
VHOCC and Olympic Peninsula Humane Society (OPHS) have partnered to offer a monthly Pet Loss Support Group. The group meets on the second Monday of every month from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at OPHS’ Kitty City at 91 S. Boyce Road, Sequim. The next meeting is Monday, May 11.
Individuals knowledgeable of the special bond between humans and their pets and the grieving process will facilitate the meeting. Gatherings are open to any community member who has been affected by the loss of an animal.
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.
The VHOCC-OPHS Pet Loss Support Group sessions are drop-in meetings. Participants do not need to register and may attend as many sessions as they desire.
Soul Care speaker
“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 Wednesday, May 13, 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 New York 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 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.
VHOCC’s Speaker Series and other Soul Care programs are supported by the Albert and Helen Mangan Fund.
To register, visit volunteerhospice.org or call VHOCC.
For more information about Karnes, visit bkbooks.com.
In-person Grief Support Group
VHOCC is sponsoring a five-week in-person grief support group every Friday from May 15 through June 12, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the VHOCC conference room, 829 E. 8th St, Port Angeles.
The group offers a place for participants to share with others their feelings and experiences with grief; gain a clearer understanding of the mourning process; and learn coping skills and strategies for dealing with the emotional pain of loss.
Confidentiality is essential to foster openness, trust and acceptance.
Attendance is free, but registration is required. Attendees should attend all sessions.
For more information or to register, call VHOCC or email reception@vhocc.org.
VHOCC has been providing free hospice services to patients and their families since 1978.
Part of their organization’s mission is to offer grief support groups to not just families of hospice patients, but to anyone in the community who has experienced the death of a loved one, regardless of the circumstances of death.
