‘Hearts of Gold’ gala returns

Every year, Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital Foundation receives nominations for Hearts of Gold honorees. This year, the foundation was inspired by the accomplishments and hard work of two candidates: Rena George and Chuck Bugge.

Rena George

Rena George is a community care coordinator and certified community health worker based at Hood River County Health Department. Her work takes her all over the Gorge, as she is out in the community helping others every day. For the past four years in this role, she has helped her clients overcome barriers and access housing, resources and advocacy. Her goal is to empower them to help themselves. It’s not about fixing them, but about making their lives better.

Over the years, George has served countless vulnerable people. She has worked in Warm Springs, Ore., with crime victims who had nowhere to go for help. She also worked at Head Start, helping preschool children by preparing them to succeed in school and beyond.

She talks about her “lived experience” and how she went through many experiences in her youth, and feels she knows what many folks are going through.

Raised in The Dalles, George is from a large family, had a child at a young age and dropped out of high school. Driven by a desire to help others, she went to college in her 30s and received an associates degree in police science. In 2014, she earned her bachelor’s degree in liberal studies with minors in sociology and Native American studies.

George loves to give back to her community. She is a cancer survivor, a CPR instructor and has successfully completed “Strong Women” group exercise training, including competing in weightlifting competitions.

“I don’t like giving up and throwing in the towel,” George explained.

Chuck Bugge

Giving back are words that describe the second Hearts of Gold honoree to a tee. Chuck Bugge has helped our community through his career as superintendent of the Hood River Valley School District and in many volunteer roles.

Originally from the Midwest, Chuck and his wife, Becki, moved to the West Coast to teach. After earning a counseling degree, Bugge was hired at Brigham Young University in Utah and earned a doctorate degree there. The Bugges then moved to Hood River, where Chuck served as superintendent of the school district for more than 20 years.

After retiring, he became even busier as he started volunteering at organizations, including Hood River Rotary, St. Mary’s Church, Hood River Education Foundation and Hood River Lions.

He also participated in large building projects for FISH and Hospice of the Gorge. He said he was “hooked into volunteering” as one group or project led to the next.

Bugge talks about the importance of thanking people. “It’s not that hard to thank people,” he says, “and it means a lot to others.” He also knows volunteers get paid back for their hard work by seeing the results of their effort years later.

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Those attend the Hearts of Gold Gala will help raise funds for the Providence Better Outcomes thru Bridges (BOB) program. The program uses peer support, outreach and community partnerships to help behavioral health patients access needed services.

“It’s a tradition to highlight foundation programs each year after the awards. We know stories and photos about the BOB program will touch the hearts of our guests. It will be a very special night,” said Susan Frost, executive director, Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital Foundation.