Hospice presents monster bash

Executive Director John Williams isn't telling anyone what costume he's planning on wearing to this year's Hospice of Yuma's annual Ocean-to-Ocean fundraiser. He did provide some clues, however.

“All I can say is this ... I'm going to be supporting a hair style from the 1950s, and if you know me I don't have a stitch of hair right now,” Williams said. “I might also have a leather jacket with a logo on the back that could be easily recognized as a potential movie character.”

Williams went on to say, “I'm very lucky that I'm going to be accompanied by the most beautiful blonde in the world and she is going to be supporting some interesting clothes from the same movie. So if you want to come see the executive director of Hospice with hair this is your opportunity.”

Themed “Monster Mash,” the night is about more than ghosts and goblins. Williams said there will be a silent auction, dancing and a dinner. Halloween costumes are strongly encouraged and there will be prizes for the best, male, female and couples costume.

The event will be at Arizona Western College Schoenning Center, at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 20. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at the Hospice office or online at www.HospiceofYuma.com.

Among the items up for bid in the silent auction are a Silpada turquoise necklace and bracelet and a pair of three-inch ½ carat earrings set in 14K white and yellow gold, which were donated by Paul Bensel Jewelers. Bose has also donated a SoundDock Portable Music System and a pair of 301-V Stereo loudspeakers.

Other auction items include a Ford FW-60 Children's Riding Tractor, 13 Caterpillar collectable Die-Cast scale models, 50 gallons of gas from Sellers Petroleum, a salon gift package gift certificate from Ambiance Salon, a gift certificate for a facial from Steel Roots Hair Studio, tires from Purcell Tires and a family range membership from Sprague's Sports. A ride in a hot air balloon is also up for bid.

“The best part about it is everything is priced within reason,” Williams said. “Nothing is going to go into the gazillions of dollars.”

There will also be a live DJ playing music from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, some of which will be popular Halloween songs, while others will be dance music.

Williams said all the proceeds raised from the evening's gala will go toward Hospice's charitable care program, which provides care for terminally ill patients. That money, he said, helps pay for patients who have no insurance or have lost it for some reason.

The average cost per day for Hospice is about $150. Williams said that covers the cost of everything from nursing services, medication, medical equipment, to sending social workers and chaplains to patients' homes.

“What the money does is allow the patient to remain at home and spend the quality of time they have left with their loved ones,” Williams said. “It pays for everything a Hospice patient would need at their home.”

Williams went on to say that Hospice, compared to a hospital stay, is still one of the most cost effective medical products, according to private insurance companies.

“It is typically much more cost effective to help a person remain at home and live out their life there,” Williams said. “We are kind of proud of that as well. It's not just what the patient wants, but it is also a cost effective service.”

In talking about the fundraiser, Williams said since it is held so close to Halloween each year, they have always wanted to incorporate the theme, and now they are finally doing it. The premise, he added, is to go back to a time when Halloween was more nostalgic, and not about blood and gore.

“It's really about going back to the time when Halloween was more innocent and fun,” Williams said. “Remember the time you went to your first junior high school Halloween party, and you went there and it was just dancing, bobbing for apples and lots of fun other stuff, before it got crazy and everything changed. We want to go back to a time when Halloween was more about the costumes parties, dancing and being together and having fun.”

Hospice of Yuma announced earlier this year due to rising expenses and decreasing sponsorship it had to permanently cancel its annual Hospice of Yuma Roping Roundup Barbecue and Western Dance, which leaves the Ocean-to-Ocean fundraiser as the nonprofit organization's main source of revenue generation.

James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.