National Healthcare Decisions Day is April 16

Friday, April 11, 2008

This special day focuses on the importance of advance healthcare decision-making.

As a participating organization, Calvert Hospice has advance directive information and consultation available at the Calvert Hospice office located at 238 Merrimac Court in Prince Frederick, according to a press release.

Advance directives — healthcare power of attorney and living will — capture an individual’s wishes for health care when the person is not able to make those wishes known to health care providers. Information available from Calvert Hospice includes tools to help start the conversation with family, friends and healthcare providers about one’s wishes as well as forms that can be completed in accordance with Maryland state law. Information is also available from the Maryland Office of the Attorney General’s Web site, www.oag.state.md.us⁄healthpol⁄adirective.

‘‘National Healthcare Decisions Day gives us the opportunity to help folks in our community have thoughtful conversations with their loved ones about their healthcare decisions and complete reliable advance directives to make their wishes known,” said Lynn Bonde, Calvert Hospice executive director, in a press release. ‘‘Completing these documents gives comfort to families and clarity to healthcare providers who otherwise struggle with making difficult healthcare decisions in the absence of guidance from the patient. Advance directives help families honor patient’s wishes when the time comes to do so.”

For more information about National Healthcare Decision Day, go to www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org, or call the Calvert Hospice Office at 410-535-0892 or 301-855-1226.

Lincoln⁄Reagan Dinner to honor Calvert Republican Women

Calvert County Republicans will honor 50 years of political leadership by Calvert Republican women at the 50th Anniversary Lincoln⁄Reagan Dinner on Thursday, April 17, at the Holiday Inn Select in Solomons.

Featured speaker will be Ambassador Ellen Sauerbrey, a former assistant secretary of state and former candidate for governor of Maryland. Sauerbrey will be introduced by Republican National Commiteewoman Joyce Lyons Terhes, who is a past Maryland Republican State Chairman and past Calvert County commissioner.

‘‘No one better exemplifies the political leadership exhibited by Calvert Republican women than Joyce Lyons Terhes,” said Calvert County Republican Party Chairman Frank McCabe in a press release. ‘‘She received the most votes of any candidate for commissioner in 1986 and again in 1990, and served as state chairman when the Maryland Republican Party really needed a stronger leader.”

McCabe noted that ‘‘from the time the Calvert County League of Republican Women sponsored the first Lincoln Day Dinner in 1959, Calvert Republican women have worked tirelessly and successfully to bring genuine, two-party competition to this County.”

‘‘I hope we can adequately honor the efforts of those many Calvert Republican women,” McCabe said.

Tickets for the dinner are $45; a table of 10 costs $425. Reception begins at 6 p.m.; dinner at 7 p.m. For tickets, sponsorships or other information, call Judy MacWilliams at 301-855-4281, or e-mail her at secretary@calvertgop.net.