LAKE COUNTY
Hospice Services: Light Up a Life
Hospice Services of Lake County is joining with community partners to present “Light Up a Life” a remembrance ceremony. This event is offered during the holiday season as a time of gentle reflection, support and respite when there can be many demands on our energy and emotions.
The public is invited to this candle-lighting ceremony that celebrates the memories of family, friends and loved ones who have gone before us. The ceremony will be held at the Keysville United Methodist Church on December 8 located at 3810 Main Street in Kelseyville starting at 6:30 pm.
A special tribute to military veterans will be presented by the Lake County Honor Guard. The evening includes a candle lighting ceremony, musical performances by the Praises of Zion Baptist Church choir, and a message of remembrance given by Adventist Health Clearlake Chaplain J. Murdock with contributions by Lake County Poet Laureate Georgina Marie Guardado, Pastor Jonathan Green and Flamon McCoud.
“Holidays can be extremely difficult for those who have experienced the death of a loved one, especially during the first year after a death,” says the manager of bereavement for Hospice Services of Lake County Kathleen Bradley. “At a time when we may feel that everyone is supposed to be happy and enjoying themselves, the griever can feel sad, lonely and depressed. Taking time out during this time of year to honor our loved ones, instead of trying to distract ourselves, can be helpful in reintroducing meaning for the holiday season.”
“Through this ceremony, we are connecting to the symbolism of light that our loved ones brought into our lives and that our memories of them continue to shine. The light of the stars, the log aflame in the fireplace, the lights on the Christmas Tree, as well as the flame of the candles that we light in their honor, can all be ways that we can remind ourselves during the holidays of the light of love we share with our loved ones, states Pastor Jonathan Green of the Praises of Zion Baptist Church and Hospice Services board member .”
For more information, call the Hospice Services of Lake County office at (707) 263-6222 or visit the agency’s website, www.lakecountyhospice.org.
—Submitted
LAKEPORT
RCS Now Operating 24/7 Emergency Shelter in Lakeport
Lake County Behavioral Health Services, as Lead Agency for the Lake County Continuum of Care, is very pleased to announce Redwood Community Services (RCS) is now operating and supporting the emergency shelter in Lakeport (as of today, December 1)!
RCS’s Shelter staff unanimously approved a new name to mark this new start: Xamitin Haven! Xamitin (pronounced hahm-i-tin, with a soft “a” as in “father”) is a Northern Pomo word meaning “lake” or “water lying.” Xamitin Haven (at 1111 Whalen Way, Lakeport) is now open 24 hours a day, providing up to 35 guests with stable shelter, breakfast, dinner, showers, laundry support, and support services.
‘How does someone get a bed at Xamitin Haven’
Redwood Community Services will initially work with the 35 current shelter guests. Further information on the intake process and availability will be released by very soon. RCS is cognizant the transition to 24-hour service represents a significant change:
“We want to support [shelter guests] with getting stable,” notes RCS’ Integrated Health Director, Sage Wolf, MSW. “To assist us with that process, we will not be taking in new guests for at least the next week. Staff are making a point to connect with new people who present to the shelter, and encourage them to come back the week of December 11, to get further information.”
“We are also working toward having space in the shelter to accommodate families with children,” continues Wolf. “We expect it may be roughly a month before we are able to accept a full family.”
“The County of Lake would like to thank all who have supported the emergency shelter since it first opened to help unhoused individuals navigate the COVID-19 Pandemic,” notes Elise Jones, Lake County’s Behavioral Health Services Director. “Blue Horizons staff and local lodging operators were critical partners over the past month’s time of transition. Thank you all!”
Redwood Community Services is excited to build on the work of previous operators. “We are grateful for the opportunity to serve our unhoused neighbors,” affirms Wolf. “Further official information will be made available as soon as possible.”
Questions can be directed to Sage Wolf of RCS by email, wolfs@redwoodcommunityservices.org. Redwood Community Services can also be reached at 707-467-2010.
