Nightingale Project

Calvary Baptist Soup Kitchen

The Nightingale Project’s newest project is going to be helping a Newport soup kitchen in need. The soup kitchen provides a hot meal on Wednesday nights and Sunday afternoons to those in need. In addition to cooking and serving the meal, the soup kitchen also gives take-away items such as bread, clothing, and toiletries. This great service has been running for over 25 years! One of the biggest needs for the soup kitchen and church is a renovation. The church was originally built in 1881.

The Nightingales recently visited the soup kitchen to give the volunteers a night off. Also there to help were Bill Hall and Arnie Roblan!

Comfort Bags for Cancer Patients

Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Lincoln County Nightingales committee recently put together more than 50 comfort bags for cancer patients within the local community. Twenty-five of the bags were delivered to Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital.

Each comfort bag is unique and filled with donated items meant to bring some solace to cancer patients while undergoing treatment. Donations have been generously made by local organizations, including but not limited to:

Blankets and hats made by Oceanview Senior Living residents
Blankets made by Wal-Mart employees
Prayer Angels donated by Diamonds by the Sea
Bags and survival pins from The American Cancer Society
Cash donations for bags from Oregon Coast Aquarium employees and volunteers

Rebecca Fransham, Outpatient Treatment Center and Lisa Ely, Marketing and Public Relations, graciously accepted the comfort bags on behalf of the hospital.

“When I saw the committee members carrying in 25 care bags packed full of wonderful items I couldn’t help but feel the love and thoughtful attention put in to each and every care bag. What a heartwarming surprise for the patients,” said Ely.

Tamara Rosser, RSVP director, was inspired to create the local program after hearing about Matt Ferguson who was honored as Oregon’s Outstanding Youth Volunteer at the 2011 at the Governor’s Volunteer of the Year Awards. Ferguson started a non-profit to give comfort bags to breast cancer patients on their first day of treatment. He created the comfort bags because when his mom was going through chemotherapy for breast cancer he noticed several people receiving the treatments alone.

“We wanted to create something special for our own communities. It really feels good when we (Nightingales committee) get together and create a unique care package for cancer patients – women, men, girls and boys,” said Rosser.

Rosser and the Nightingale committee hope their comfort bags will bring joy and comfort to patients receiving cancer treatments locally and in Lincoln County. For more information about comfort bags, call Tamara Rosser at (541) 574-3745.