Departing Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County board members Nancy Bargar, Dave Gilbert and Ed Hopfner — who cumulatively have more than 26 years of volunteer service — were recognized for their dedication and commitment to VHOCC on Dec. 21.

Gilbert, a retired professional mining engineer, joined the VHOCC board in 2010 and became the agency information technology (IT) expert. Under his stewardship he upgraded all IT-related issues. He was a vice-president and held various other sub-committee positions.

A Sequim resident with a engineering background, he helped with the technical and physical aspects of remodeling the organization’s existing facilities and in new construction.

“My past 11 years with VHOCC have been one of the most rewarding times of my life,” Gilbert said. “Working so closely with all the nurses dedicated to Rose’s mission and with the many volunteers supporting them was truly an uplifting experience. Volunteer Hospice is a loving and caring family which I hope will live on forever. It has been a great privilege to help nudge it along.”

Bargar, a retired certified public accountant, joined the VHOCC board in 2015. She became and remained the board treasurer during her tenure., holding various subcommittee positions and upgrading the organization’s financial record-keeping.

“I enjoyed most of the time I was the treasurer and can’t think of a better nonprofit to donate my time to,” the Port Angeles resident said.

Hopfner, a retired physician, became a board member in 2012. Starting in the 1970s and into the 2000s, he helped VHOCC founder Rose Crumb in various “non-official” ways. He initially was the personnel director, became chair pro tem followed by four years as elected chair.

A Port Angeles resident, Hopfner helped in the remodeling of the organization’s former building and worked on the new one. He resides in Port Angeles.

“Volunteer Hospice seems to attract a group of mature adults who enjoy giving of themselves and sharing this joy by working and being with each other,” he said.

VHOCC executive director JooRi Jun, said the agency is what it is today because of the “dedication, tenacity and service” of these board members.

”We would simply just not be where we are at now if they had not been part of the history of this organization,” Jun said. “They have steered VHOCC through incredible growth and carried out critical responsibilities, building our capacity from the ground up, always with our mission at the center. So many of us are deeply grateful.”

VHOCC board president Peter Raiswell added, “Volunteer Hospice has gone through many changes over the years and Nancy, Ed and David have contributed a great deal to the evolution and growth of the organization. They have seen us grow from a small ‘mom and pop’ organization to one that has an executive director and a fully structured board focusing on the strategic future … all the while serving Clallam County residents in need of end-of-life support services in accordance with founder Rose Crumb’s original vision.

“Their dedication, expertise, caring and contributions have been outstanding. The entire organization thanks them, as do the thousands of patients who have been cared for during their periods of service.”

VHOCC has provided free, end-of life care to about 6,500 families since Crumb founded the agency in 1978. The organization is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and donations are tax deductible.

Learn more about how to support/volunteer at VHOCC at vhocc.org or by calling 360-452-1511.