Emmanuel Hospice volunteer Deb Vazquez (right) and her dog, Cocoa, visit with patient Betty Majewski.
Emmanuel Hospice
For Deb Vazquez, being a volunteer for Emmanuel Hospice is about ensuring patients have “a friend in the end.” It’s about providing that friendly face to smile at and a caring hand to hold, offering comfort and compassion at the end of life.
Vazquez began serving as a hospice volunteer earlier this year along with her husband, Tony, and their dog, Cocoa, as a way to give back. The couple had seen the benefits from having parents in hospice, most recently with Tony’s parents in Florida.
They found Emmanuel through an online search for hospice in their area and learned the nonprofit is always looking for new volunteers, especially pet visitors. They promptly signed up and completed the volunteer training, Cocoa included. Vazquez says it has been incredibly rewarding for the whole family.
“The impact of pet visits is amazing,” she said. “Patients absolutely love Cocoa. She’s small enough to sit on people’s laps and will gaze into their eyes. Patients like to talk or hum to her and pet her. Cocoa just has a great temperament and loves the attention.”
In addition to visits with Cocoa, Vazquez meets patients one-on-one. In that capacity, she’s found the simplest gestures can have a profound impact.
“Just holding hands is huge,” she said. “A couple of patients love when I bring lavender-scented lotion to rub on their hands. It is sweet to see the calm it can bring to them.
“Talking to patients seems to make a difference, too. Even if they are noncommunicative, I’ll get a smile or a hand squeeze back that tells me they know someone is there for them and cares.”
Vazquez is intentional about learning about each person’s life story so she can find ways to personalize visits. Volunteer Coordinator Holly Salas said it’s clear Vazquez “cares deeply” about the patients she sees.
“Deb goes above and beyond,” Salas said. “She brings patients treats and flowers, plays music for them and seeks out connection in any way she can. She recently reconnected one of our patients with family members, which was very meaningful to them.”
Having an interest in genealogy, Vazquez was eager to help the patient look into his family history and reconnected him with relatives.
“It started with connecting over foods he grew up with living on a farm like I did,” Vazquez said. “With permission from his dietitian, I was able to bring him food from his childhood. That brought up a lot of memories and family member names that he hadn’t been able to remember.
“It was just fantastic. You start with talking about something as innocuous as food we enjoyed as kids to find common ground and then suddenly it’s opening doors to new ways to make someone’s day a little brighter.”
Vazquez discovered another patient loves playing games, so naturally, they now have a three-week game of Monopoly going. That patient also loves playing games with Cocoa.
“The patient will toss dog bones around her room, so Cocoa has to search them out,” Vazquez said. “She gets a real kick out of Cocoa doing this sort of hide and seek.”
To anyone interested in volunteering with a hospice organization, Vazquez says it’s natural to wonder about what it will be like, but assures that any worries will be “far outweighed by the moments of joy you’ll bring.”
Zeeland native Sara Torrey Lowe founded Emmanuel Hospice in 2013 with Sr. Gabriela Hilke in collaboration with St. Ann’s Home, Clark Retirement, Porter Hills and Sunset Retirement Community. Lowe is now the chief executive officer of Emmanuel Hospice.
Anyone who wants to learn more about volunteering with Emmanuel Hospice is encouraged to email EHvolunteer@
EmmanuelHospice.org or call 616-719-0919 and ask for Holly. An in-person orientation to onboard new volunteers will be offered from 1 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 21 at the nonprofit’s Grand Rapids office, 401 Hall St. SW #263. More information can be found at EmmanuelHospice. org/volunteer.
For Deb Vazquez, being a volunteer for Emmanuel Hospice is about ensuring patients have “a friend in the end.” It’s about providing that friendly face to smile at and a caring hand to hold, offering comfort and compassion at the end of life.
Vazquez began serving as a hospice volunteer earlier this year along with her husband, Tony, and their dog, Cocoa, as a way to give back. The couple had seen the benefits from having parents in hospice, most recently with Tony’s parents in Florida.
They found Emmanuel through an online search for hospice in their area and learned the nonprofit is always looking for new volunteers, especially pet visitors. They promptly signed up and completed the volunteer training, Cocoa included. Vazquez says it has been incredibly rewarding for the whole family.
“The impact of pet visits is amazing,” she said. “Patients absolutely love Cocoa. She’s small enough to sit on people’s laps and will gaze into their eyes. Patients like to talk or hum to her and pet her. Cocoa just has a great temperament and loves the attention.”
In addition to visits with Cocoa, Vazquez meets patients one-on-one. In that capacity, she’s found the simplest gestures can have a profound impact.
“Just holding hands is huge,” she said. “A couple of patients love when I bring lavender-scented lotion to rub on their hands. It is sweet to see the calm it can bring to them.
“Talking to patients seems to make a difference, too. Even if they are noncommunicative, I’ll get a smile or a hand squeeze back that tells me they know someone is there for them and cares.”
Vazquez is intentional about learning about each person’s life story so she can find ways to personalize visits. Volunteer Coordinator Holly Salas said it’s clear Vazquez “cares deeply” about the patients she sees.
“Deb goes above and beyond,” Salas said. “She brings patients treats and flowers, plays music for them and seeks out connection in any way she can. She recently reconnected one of our patients with family members, which was very meaningful to them.”
Having an interest in genealogy, Vazquez was eager to help the patient look into his family history and reconnected him with relatives.
“It started with connecting over foods he grew up with living on a farm like I did,” Vazquez said. “With permission from his dietitian, I was able to bring him food from his childhood. That brought up a lot of memories and family member names that he hadn’t been able to remember.
“It was just fantastic. You start with talking about something as innocuous as food we enjoyed as kids to find common ground and then suddenly it’s opening doors to new ways to make someone’s day a little brighter.”
Vazquez discovered another patient loves playing games, so naturally, they now have a three-week game of Monopoly going. That patient also loves playing games with Cocoa.
“The patient will toss dog bones around her room, so Cocoa has to search them out,” Vazquez said. “She gets a real kick out of Cocoa doing this sort of hide and seek.”
To anyone interested in volunteering with a hospice organization, Vazquez says it’s natural to wonder about what it will be like, but assures that any worries will be “far outweighed by the moments of joy you’ll bring.”
Zeeland native Sara Torrey Lowe founded Emmanuel Hospice in 2013 with Sr. Gabriela Hilke in collaboration with St. Ann’s Home, Clark Retirement, Porter Hills and Sunset Retirement Community. Lowe is now the chief executive officer of Emmanuel Hospice.
Anyone who wants to learn more about volunteering with Emmanuel Hospice is encouraged to email EHvolunteer@
EmmanuelHospice.org or call 616-719-0919 and ask for Holly. An in-person orientation to onboard new volunteers will be offered from 1 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 21 at the nonprofit’s Grand Rapids office, 401 Hall St. SW #263. More information can be found at EmmanuelHospice. org/volunteer.
Howard Miller to Hold Final Sale
As the final grandfather clock prepares to roll off the production line, Howard Miller Company is announcing a factory sale of remaining inventory as a thank-you to West Michigan customers for nearly a century of support.
Known for its handcrafted clocks and better-end home furnishings, Howard Miller will open its facility at 860 E. Main Ave. to the public, starting Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and continuing through next Saturday, Nov. 8.
All sales are cash and carry; delivery is available for an additional charge and must be arranged at the time of the purchase.
All first-quality products will be deeply discounted. Products that are seconds or scratch-and-dent will be eligible for additional markdowns. Sale items will include:
• Grandfather clocks
• Tripod clocks
• Wall clocks
• Table clocks
• Mantle clocks
• Curio cabinets
• Storage cabinets
• Bar carts
• Wine and bar cabinets
Additionally, some Hekman products will be available to purchase.
“It’s been an honor and privilege to headquarter our operations in West Michigan for the past 99 years,” Howard Miller vice president of sales and marketing Jim O’Keefe said. “We’ve always enjoyed tremendous support from our community, from the skilled craftspeople who built our products to customers who have embraced our brands. This sale is our way of giving back to our employees, their families and friends, and to the broader West Michigan community for decades of support.
“As we prepare to close our doors next year, we’re offering unbelievable prices on our remaining inventory. When products are gone, they are gone. We encourage interested customers to join us early in the week as we hope to sell out by Nov. 8.”
In July, Howard Miller announced plans to wind down its manufacturing operations, citing the impacts of the poor housing market, inflation and tariffs. The Howard Miller Foundation intends to continue fulfilling its philanthropic mission and its longstanding commitment to nonprofits along the Lakeshore.
Howard Miller got its start in 1926 by Howard C. Miller, son of office furniture manufacturing legend Herman Miller. Initially, Howard Miller crafted fine chiming wall and mantel clocks designed to last generations, expanding over the decades to add grandfather clocks, curio cabinets, entertainment centers and more. In 1983, Howard Miller purchased Hekman Furniture Co., which will also be closing as part of this wind-down.
Howard Miller has earned many design awards and was twice selected as an international award winner by the American Institute of Interior Designs. Several of its products have been selected by Fortune Magazine as among the top 100 industrial design products in the world. Its clocks are displayed in museums nationwide.
Known for its handcrafted clocks and better-end home furnishings, Howard Miller will open its facility at 860 E. Main Ave. to the public, starting Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and continuing through next Saturday, Nov. 8.
All sales are cash and carry; delivery is available for an additional charge and must be arranged at the time of the purchase.
All first-quality products will be deeply discounted. Products that are seconds or scratch-and-dent will be eligible for additional markdowns. Sale items will include:
• Grandfather clocks
• Tripod clocks
• Wall clocks
• Table clocks
• Mantle clocks
• Curio cabinets
• Storage cabinets
• Bar carts
• Wine and bar cabinets
Additionally, some Hekman products will be available to purchase.
“It’s been an honor and privilege to headquarter our operations in West Michigan for the past 99 years,” Howard Miller vice president of sales and marketing Jim O’Keefe said. “We’ve always enjoyed tremendous support from our community, from the skilled craftspeople who built our products to customers who have embraced our brands. This sale is our way of giving back to our employees, their families and friends, and to the broader West Michigan community for decades of support.
“As we prepare to close our doors next year, we’re offering unbelievable prices on our remaining inventory. When products are gone, they are gone. We encourage interested customers to join us early in the week as we hope to sell out by Nov. 8.”
In July, Howard Miller announced plans to wind down its manufacturing operations, citing the impacts of the poor housing market, inflation and tariffs. The Howard Miller Foundation intends to continue fulfilling its philanthropic mission and its longstanding commitment to nonprofits along the Lakeshore.
Howard Miller got its start in 1926 by Howard C. Miller, son of office furniture manufacturing legend Herman Miller. Initially, Howard Miller crafted fine chiming wall and mantel clocks designed to last generations, expanding over the decades to add grandfather clocks, curio cabinets, entertainment centers and more. In 1983, Howard Miller purchased Hekman Furniture Co., which will also be closing as part of this wind-down.
Howard Miller has earned many design awards and was twice selected as an international award winner by the American Institute of Interior Designs. Several of its products have been selected by Fortune Magazine as among the top 100 industrial design products in the world. Its clocks are displayed in museums nationwide.
Council OKs Northside Pathway Boardwalk Fixes
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
The boardwalk along the Northside Pathway next to Gentex Corporation’s parking lot is getting some improvements.
The City Council on Oct. 20 approved a contract with Zeeland-based Midwest Construction for replacing the railings and decking on the boardwalk, which was built in 2007. As part of the update, the city will get rid of the existing cable railings on the boardwalk and replace it with a fence fabric and rail system used on the Eastside Pathway, Assistant City Manager Kevin Plockmeyer told council members.
“It (gives us) a clean look, it’s easier to maintain, and far more sustainable than the railings we’ve previously used on the Northside Pathway,” Plockmeyer said.
The understructure of the boardwalk remains in good condition, but the decking and railings were in need of attention, Plockmeyer said.
Over the past two years, the city has repaved about 4,000 feet of bike path. However, under its new budget, the city is switching its attention from repaving to addressing maintenance issues on boardwalks along the bike path, Plockmeyer said.
The city has allocated $100,000 in the budget toward bike path repairs. Midwest Construction submitted the low bid among six bidders at $77,250. Factoring in contingency costs, the city has set an $85,000 budget for the project.
The project is scheduled to be completed by Memorial Day of next year. The city has given Midwest an open-ended construction window, Plockmeyer said.
Zeeland Record
The boardwalk along the Northside Pathway next to Gentex Corporation’s parking lot is getting some improvements.
The City Council on Oct. 20 approved a contract with Zeeland-based Midwest Construction for replacing the railings and decking on the boardwalk, which was built in 2007. As part of the update, the city will get rid of the existing cable railings on the boardwalk and replace it with a fence fabric and rail system used on the Eastside Pathway, Assistant City Manager Kevin Plockmeyer told council members.
“It (gives us) a clean look, it’s easier to maintain, and far more sustainable than the railings we’ve previously used on the Northside Pathway,” Plockmeyer said.
The understructure of the boardwalk remains in good condition, but the decking and railings were in need of attention, Plockmeyer said.
Over the past two years, the city has repaved about 4,000 feet of bike path. However, under its new budget, the city is switching its attention from repaving to addressing maintenance issues on boardwalks along the bike path, Plockmeyer said.
The city has allocated $100,000 in the budget toward bike path repairs. Midwest Construction submitted the low bid among six bidders at $77,250. Factoring in contingency costs, the city has set an $85,000 budget for the project.
The project is scheduled to be completed by Memorial Day of next year. The city has given Midwest an open-ended construction window, Plockmeyer said.
