Courtesy photo.
Compassionate Care of Carpinteria hosts its 5th Annual The Light Shines Ahead Luncheon to Celebrate Life and Inspire Light After Darkness
CARPINTERIA — Compassionate Care of Carpinteria (CCC) will host its 5th Annual luncheon, The Light Shines Ahead on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, in person, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Rincon Beach Club, located at 3805 Santa Claus Ln, Carpinteria, CA. This year’s event will have a special focus on remembering loved ones who have passed away and their impact on our lives. Guests will be provided with an opportunity to donate and support the wonderful work of CCC in the name of their loved ones, helping bring programs and services, completely free of charge, to adults, children and seniors who are struggling with grief or life-threatening illness. Guests are also invited to bring a photograph of their loved ones to place at their table.
The event will feature steering committee chair Marybeth Carty and special guest speakers including Beth Cox and Virginia Benson Wigle. Guest speaker, Beth Cox, lost her father, Roger Green to Stage IV Melanoma Cancer. The timeline from diagnosis to death was 26 days. After her father’s passing, she became involved with Relay For Life of the American Cancer Society and created the first ever Paddle Out For Hope within the world of Relays.
For decades, Cox has been an avid community leader and advocate in Santa Barbara County. She has been involved in Community organizations such as Standing Together to End Sexual Assault (STESA and Domestic Violence Solutions, traveling around the county speaking to High Schools and community nonprofits. Cox has also worked as a Crisis Counselor Hotline Assistant, and hosted a radio show on KCSB focusing on Domestic violence and sexual assault. Fundraising and contributing through her family-owned company of Grant Cox Enterprises Inc., she and her husband Grant Cox pride themselves on giving back to their community.
The Light Shines Ahead guest speaker, Virginia Benson Wigle, lost her husband John after he was diagnosed with cancer. During their experience with grief they developed a vision for a space where individuals could share their journeys of loss and ultimately, of renewed hope.
Following his passing, Wigle launched a storytelling online site called Our Story, named after John’s last words to her, and with it, the Starfish Connection, a nonprofit organization offering bridge gap grants to individuals who would otherwise fall through the cracks financially. Our Story and the Starfish Connection share the mission of providing individuals the space to be seen, heard, and honored through storytelling, gap grants, and educational resources.
“We are excited to gather in person with fellow CCC supporters in our commitment to providing resources to anyone experiencing the impact of serious illness or grieving the death of a loved one,” said David Selberg, CEO of Hospice of Santa Barbara.
The Light Shines Ahead is the annual fundraiser for CCC, an initiative of Hospice of Santa Barbara that offers programs and services, completely free of charge, to adults, children and seniors who are struggling with grief or life-threatening illness. Services include counseling, practical care, and medical navigation.All services are offered in English and Spanish throughout Carpinteria.
To buy tickets, view sponsorship opportunities or learn more about the event, please visit www.CompassionateCareofCarpinteria.org.
Hospice of Santa Barbara — Hospice of Santa Barbara provides professional counseling, support groups, and patient care services free of charge to individuals and families who are grieving the death of a loved one or experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness. Hospice of Santa Barbara also provides counseling in our offices and on fifteen local junior and high school campuses to children and teens who are grieving the loss of a loved one. For more information about Hospice of Santa Barbara, including volunteer opportunities, call (805) 563-8820 or visit www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org.