Sunday, April 16 was National Healthcare Decisions Day, a day meant to encourage people to think critically about who will advocate for their healthcare when they are unable to themselves. To celebrate the day and help raise awareness, the Hospice Foundation held its very first “Coffee Cruise in for a Cause” car show. People from all over the community came to look at some beautiful classic cars, donate to a good organization, and learn a bit more about advocating for their health.
Over 36 cars, and even a last-minute motorcycle, entered the show for $10. People had a blast walking around looking closely at all the neat cars, and for a one-dollar donation, they could even vote on which car was their favorite. At the end of the day, trophies were given out to the best car, best motorcycle, best truck, and best overall in the show.
The Hospice Foundation is the supporting foundation for Center for Hospice Care. All the money raised during the event will go towards Center for Hospice Care’s many programs, but Robert “Red” Fisher, events manager for the Hospice Foundation, explained that the day was about so much more than raising money. It was about giving people the opportunity to have a good time.
“This event wasn’t just about raising money. It’s about community. The things we do wouldn’t be possible without good people like this in the community,” said Fisher.
Even more importantly, though, the day was about making the community more aware of how important it is to discuss healthcare decision-making with their loved ones, so that in the unfortunate scenario when someone can’t advocate for their healthcare themselves, they have someone who knows what they want and need.
Cyndy Searfoss, the Hospice Foundation’s director of education and collaborative partnerships, explained that many people try to avoid these conversations because they don’t want to think about end-of-life situations. This is understandable, but it’s important to have someone who knows how to advocate for you in any healthcare situation, not just end-of-life ones.
“The best time to have these conversations is well in advance of them being needed because you’re healthy and there’s no stress. They can be difficult conversations to have with loved ones, but it’s important,” said Searfoss.
Discussing healthcare decision-making is also important not just for yourself, but your loved ones who will be advocating for you.
Making healthcare plans ahead of time can give your family peace of mind because they’ll know exactly what is best for you.
“It’s a wonderful gift you can give to your family. When the time comes, your loved ones don’t have to worry if they’re making the right decisions and they don’t have to be stressed--it’s already been discussed,” said Searfoss.
Searfoss spent her time at the event handing out resources to people and informing them so they could start thinking more deeply about this important topic. The event was ultimately the perfect way to raise awareness for healthcare decision-making and encourage people to go out and have these important conversations.
“Looking around today, you can see people talking. This is a great opportunity for people to come to our campus, see what we do, and have the community come together to talk about things that aren’t always necessarily the easiest things to talk about,” said Fisher.
The Hospice Foundation’s first “Coffee Cruise in for a Cause” couldn’t have been a bigger success. A big thanks go out to Elkhart Indian Motorcycle, St. Joe Valley Street Rods, and Rapha Roast Coffee for sponsoring the event and helping make it such a big hit. The Hospice Foundation can’t wait to see how the show continues to grow in the future.
“I just want this to grow. If the weather had held out, I think we would’ve filled this entire parking lot with cars today, but I’m excited that we got as many cars as we did--it says a lot. I never want to keep someone from entering their car and participating, but it would be amazing if this could get that big,” said Fisher.
Fisher plans to hold a Coffee Cruise for a Cause car show each spring and fall from here on out. The next upcoming show will be on Sunday, October 8. So, get those engines started and get ready to give back to the community because it’s sure to be an exciting ride.
To learn more about Center for Hospice Care and all the great things it does to advocate and raise awareness within our communities, visit https://cfhcare.org/.