Caroline Templeton

Collabria Care

Napa, CA

Visit the Collabria Care Website

Click Here to Donate

Caroline, a Napa Collabria Care volunteer for 15 years, was drawn to the organization after losing her father and experiencing the tender care he received from the Hospice organization in Santa Rosa. Caroline is instrumental in administrative duties including medical records. She assembles start of care binders for hospice and palliative care patients, both in English and Spanish. Her attention to detail and accuracy contributes to patients and families getting solid, helpful information, which in turn provides support when facing death, a life-limiting illness or the grief of losing a loved one.

“People often think that Hospice must be so sad and hard to be there. In fact, the people who work and volunteer there are warm, caring, kind, fun-loving people. I hear constantly the gratitude families express for Collabria Care and that warms my heart,” she states.

Volunteering has always been an important part of Caroline’s life. As a switchboard operator volunteer for the American Red Cross, towards the end of the Vietnam War she heard that orphaned babies from Saigon were being flown into the United States. Volunteers were needed to meet the planes and carry the babies and small children off and deliver them to the San Francisco Presidio. “I still am reduced to tears when I recall the day,” mentions Caroline. “We were instructed to walk off the bus, onto the plane and pick up a child – many babies – and walk right back to the bus. It was heartbreaking! One of the planes had over 300 children and only 6 adults.” Caroline stayed with the children until they were relieved by another set of volunteers later that evening.

Caroline also volunteers at the annual Collabria Care Gala, the Staglin Music Festival for brain health fundraiser at Staglin Vineyards, an event where she assists in setting up for the 250 person dinner. One year she even”plated” the several course meal. Also an Operation Live Love from Home volunteer, she meets in the Fall with other community members to help pack Holiday care packages to be sent to the U.S. Troops stationed overseas. You can also find Caroline volunteering at Bottlerock in the Bike Valet and other events as they arise.