Music event benefits end-of-life doula care

By JoAnn R. Walter —

A music event to benefit a local non-profit that supports end-of-life doula care is being held on Saturday, Aug. 23, and hosted by Glen Park Vineyards located at 633 Allen Glen Rd. in Owego, N.Y. 

The event, Saturday in the Park, presented by Sugar Mountain Music, brings live music to the beautiful grounds at Glen Park Vineyards.

Nestled among trees in a serene park-like setting, the establishment offers a welcoming escape for visitors and a newly constructed pavilion for events. Their menu includes handcrafted wines, cider, beer, and specialty cocktails, along with enticing food fare.

The rain-or-shine music event will run from 2 until 8 p.m., with all proceeds benefiting the nonprofit organization “Right Beside You.”

Based out of Owego, N.Y., Right Beside You, which primarily serves Tioga County, provides end-of-life doula services. End-of-life doulas offer hands-on, non-medical comfort, share information about resources, extend emotional support and active listening, and help form a circle of support to facilitate the needs of the person and family, to name a few.

Performing at the benefit show will be regional favorite Messy Truth, along with the acoustic duo Friday at Fred’s. 

Messy Truth will perform a mix of genres featuring something for everyone, such as classic and new country, rock, show tunes, and more. Friday at Fred’s, consisting of Nino Samiani and Mark Blackwell, will play hits from Roger Miller, the sixties and seventies, and even a little Italian music. The duo recently recorded their first album.

Admission is $10.  Tickets are available via the website, https://eventbrite.com, or purchase tickets in-person.  

Audra Marks and Sonya Bement, both Owego, N.Y. natives, and also sisters, founded their Right Beside You non-profit organization in 2016.

Trained and certified in the field, their doula care and end of life ministry is free to patients in the greater Owego area. End-of-life doulas are not licensed to provide medical assistance, but they can advocate for the dying person’s wishes in coordination with healthcare providers.

You may recognize Audra’s name from WEBO, where she is the midday on-air host from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sonya is a paramedic for the UHS community and is often accompanied by a well-known support dog named Junior.

After the death of their father in 2015, the sisters were inspired to help others navigate the care of loved ones in their final days. They have developed a process that strives to eliminate the anxiety of both the patient and their loved ones so that death is peaceful, calm, and without fear.

Right Beside You is the bridge between the individual who is at the end of their life and the people important to them, such as family members and healthcare professionals.

The doulas are sometimes introduced to an end-of-life patient just days before that person passes or support others who have a few months or an unknown time period. They complement the care received from hospitals, senior care facilities, and hospice care.

Audra remarked, “We help people navigate this part of life,” which can include incorporating cultural and religious beliefs into final rituals, praying and meditating, assisting in creating a comfortable environment, coordinating visitation, talking honestly about the dying process, preparing meals, and guiding individuals about funeral preparations, just to name a few.

Sonya added, “We work to provide the emotional, spiritual, and physical support leading to a loved one’s beautiful passing.” 

Proceeds received from the benefit will be used toward meals for end-of-life patients, plus other specific patient needs. Often, the sisters scour for equipment and supplies from other area non-profits, such as the Nichols Med Shed. Proceeds will also help the doula sisters update their website and pay for other administrative fees, to name a few.

The Cleveland Clinic cites that there has been an increased interest in using end-of-life doulas in recent years to help those who are dying and those who are grieving. In addition, AARP has cited that most Americans say they would prefer to die at home and that rates of choosing to die at home are on the rise. This trend, AARP states, may have been fueled by the coronavirus pandemic but is also a reflection of the decrease in nursing home occupancy rates.

The doula sisters welcome volunteers for various tasks, especially those who could help prepare meals. Message them on their Facebook page for more information, or talk to them at the event.

Audra and Sonya will have a table set up with information and will be on hand to answer questions. Also featured at the event will be 50/50 basket raffles. Food and beverages will be available for purchase, and an ice cream truck will be parked on the property. Sugar Mountain Music suggests that guests bring along folding chairs.

For more information, find Right Beside You on Facebook or visit their website, www.rightbesideyou.care.