Hearts of gold party to celebrate health

In addition to the awards recognition, attendees will dance to the music of the Tom Grant Trio and enjoy a buffet and no-host bar.

Sponsored by Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital Foundation, Hearts of Gold will take place at the Best Western Hood River Inn from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $20 each and available from the PHRMH Foundation office, 541-387-6474.

"This is not a fundraising event," says Foundation Director Jonathan Emerson. "We decided it was time to celebrate the incredible work being done to make a difference in our community's health. And, we could get Tom Grant to come out on a weekday evening, the Hood River Inn dining room and deck were available. The whole thing just fell into place."

Marianne Durkan, RN, will receive this year's award in the category of health professional and Mooreen Morris will be recognized for her role as a community partner. Both happen to be two of the moving forces behind Hospice of the Gorge. Through their diligence, skills and ability, Hospice has moved from a small town program operating on a donated shoe string to today's Gorge-wide organization with 42 staff members, Medicare certification and a brand new building.

Marianne moved to Hood River in 1986 and quickly began volunteering as Hood River Hospice's only nurse. She soon joined the board and has served as president for the last 12 years. Marianne exemplified the spirit of hospice, which encourages and allows people with terminal illnesses to live each day completely and to die with dignity. She saw the need for a support group for cancer patients and their families, so she started one. She has been facilitating it for about 15 years. She also ran a grief and loss support group for four years before turning it over to Hospice staff. Marianne's "day job" is as manager of Providence Hood River Home Health Services, where she has also received accolades from her staff, including being recognized as hospital employee of the month.

Mooreen Bauer Morris also has a long-term relationship with Hospice, having served as its treasurer for five years and on the finance committee since 1988. She was recruited by then-director Ina Holman, but has stayed on for her own reasons. Besides her accounting responsiblities, she and her husband, Bruce, built most of the cabinets and all of the library shelves for the new Hospice building in Hood River. Noticing that no one had donated money to "sponsor" the financial manager's office in the new building, she did it. "Mooreen saw a need and filled it," remarked Hospice Director Deborah Jaques. "That's what she does. When the building opened she helped our volunteer librarian organize and shelve all the books in the library, then made signs for each category. It took many hours. Those contributions are beyond price."

Mooreen has provided finance and registration leadership for the American Cancer Society's annual Relay for Life for the last seven years, and served one of those years as overall coordinator. She also drives for the Meals on Wheels program, helping make sure home-bound people in our county receive a warm meal each day.

This is the first year the hospital will present the 'Hearts of Gold' awards, but not the first time awards have been given for outstanding contributions to community health. Throughout the 1990's the hospital presented a similar honor called "Achievements in Healthcare." Past recipients of that award will be recognized as well. They include Dr. Tina Castanares, Wilson Appelgren, O.J. Hecomovich, Winifred Niemuth, Rogers Wheatley, Hood River County Health Department, Fran Cody, Susan Hess, Dr. Chuck Haynie, Maija Yasui, Hospice of the Gorge, Gayle Gray, Tim Simmons and Leslie Cogswell.

For more information about the Hearts of Gold celebration or the awards, contact Judy Spellecy at the PHRMH Foundation office, 541-387-6474.