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In the summer of 1995, Petra McWilliam (now Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi) and Lennie Kronisch discovered they each had separately conceived a vision of a Buddhist-based hospice home where those in need could receive loving care and spiritual support at the end of life, provided by volunteers and open to all faiths. Exchanging ideas and merging concepts, they held a long meeting with Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who heartily endorsed the project, gave advice and suggested it be located at Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel, California.
A core group of like-minded people, including Barbara Vautier, Renee Robison, Majel Jordan and Trish O’Connor, formed a Steering Committee and began meeting in 1996, under the leadership of Katy Perlman, a longtime Hospice nurse. During the year that she was director, the foundation was laid for Tara Home after researching the few similar programs in the U.S.A. and speaking to many other professionals.
Early in 1998, Silvia Wenger (now Fiscalini) a nurse from Bern, Switzerland, arrived to continue developing Tara Home. Silvia had started a residential hospice home in Bern, and had just the experience we needed. During her time as Director, Tara Home increased its’ visibility by holding meditations and talks about death and dying for the local community.
Forbes Ellis, a social worker with extensive hospice experience, assumed the Directorship in 2001, and over the next two years began drafting policies and procedures for Tara Home.
During this time, Ven. Jan Fitzgerald, a 50 year old Western Buddhist nun, was diagnosed with late stage cancer, and undertook a series of treatments to slow the spread of disease. Lennie Kronisch, a recently retired Hospice nurse and friend of Jan’s, offered to be her advocate as she walked through the cancer journey. As her health deteriorated rapidly, Jan knew she would soon succumb to the disease, and expressed the wish to die at Land of Medicine Buddha. It soon became clear that Jan’s imminent need would be the catalyst for launching Tara Home, and, inspired by this, Lennie rose to the challenge, took on the position of Director and got to work.
A one-bedroom cabin at Land of Medicine Buddha was offered as the physical site of Tara Home, a publicity campaign spread the word, and the first Volunteer Caregiver training was held for 42 exceptional people. Included in this training were hands-on physical care, attending the dying, emotional and spiritual concerns, and communication skills. We were ready to open our doors.
Following a rapid decline, Ven. Jan received the full services of Tara Home during the last two months of her life, and died peacefully on August 9, 2003. A memorial service, organized by Tara Home, was held for friends and family in a temple on the grounds.
Thereafter, we had a regular stream of referrals, continued to train new volunteers twice yearly and accepted new guests to Tara Home. Fundraising was initiated, and many improvements and refinements to the cabin were accomplished, including handicap accessible facilities.
In 2005, Karen Schembs, a retired elementary school teacher and a dedicated Tara Home volunteer, took on the job of Director, which she held for four years. During that time, Karen’s warmth and hospitality united the volunteer family even more deeply and carried the project through 2009.
In retrospect, the first seven years of Tara Home were spent in research and development, while the next seven years manifested a physical home, a large team of trained caregivers and ongoing service to the community by providing care to the dying , all offered by volunteers and funded by a small group of donors. At present, the project is being managed by the Steering Committee, with Lennie Kronisch as Acting Director.
Now, at the start of the next cycle, we are ready to hire an Executive Director to take Tara Home to the next level of excellence. This will require widening our circle of influence, grantwriting and expanding fundraising sources, while increasing referrals for admission and volunteer applications.
The Tara Home family hopes to serve many more people at the end of life with love, compassion and skillful means, and to fulfill our mission well in every instance.