Church Hospice Gets $20,000 Donation

SANTA PAULA — A Solimar Beach man donated $20,000 to a local hospice this week hoping that his gift would help the group set up an endowment to support the group in the years to come.

Herbert C. Gould made the donation to the Santa Clara Valley Hospice in honor of his wife, who died of cancer in 1980.

The hospice in a Santa Paula church offers free counseling and support for individuals with terminal illness and for their families, said Cathy Barringer, president of the hospice’s board of directors.

Barringer said she hoped that Gould’s gift would inspire others to make charitable donations that could go into the hospice’s endowment and eventually free it from constantly having to raise money to pay for the services.

The Santa Clara Valley Hospice has a yearly budget of about $70,000, Barringer said. Although the group depends on a long list of volunteers, there is a small part-time paid staff.

Last year, the group helped more than 65 people and their families through a variety of workshops and grief counseling. The group also offers the free use of hospital and sick-room equipment and stocks a library with books, music and videotapes on death and dying.

The hospice operates out of the Santa Paula Presbyterian Church on Davis Street. For more information, call 525-1333.