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Daisy Nuñez Super Volunteer Camp Erin® buddy, hospice advocate, and board member, Daisy Nuñez is the trifec- ta of volunteers for Hospice of Santa Cruz County. She calls herself a "Hopeoligist." Daisy wears that mantle proudly – formerly as a socio-emotional counselor, and now as an academic counselor at Watsonville High School. A trusted ally, Daisy helps stu- dents build inner resilience and helps them thrive by connecting them to community resources like Camp Erin – a free weekend bereavement camp hosted by Hospice of Santa Cruz County for youth who are grieving the death of a loved one. "I know that when you have a good support system, you can do anything," says Daisy. Together with Hospice of Santa Cruz County staff, Daisy has co-facilitated grief support groups for students and staff. Two years ago, she became a Camp Erin volunteer, in the role of "buddy" to the kids attending camp. Intimately familiar with the powerful connections made and healing that can happen at Camp, Daisy encour- ages kids to attend – she helps families feel safe about sending their children. "When a teen loses a parent or loved one, they are more likely to engage in risky behaviors, to withdraw from their friends, and to lose interest in school. When you've had your heart broken, it can af¬fect a family's spiritual, emotional, and physical health. I'm here to en-courage students to ask for help, to receive it, and to be pres- ent," says Daisy. "There's no 'right' way to grieve. Grief is a natural response to loss. It can also be a beautiful way to honor the person you've loved and lost." Honoring her supportive parents and her beloved grandmother Victoria "Vicky" Bersamin Quintero, who died at the age of 100, is at the heart of her commitment to service. It's her living legacy of love. "Grandma Vicky left me an example of how to live a meaningful life. I am who I am because of my parents and my grandmother," Daisy stresses. As a board member and ambassador, Daisy brings a personal perspective on equi- ty and a focus to uplift often-unheard voices. She sees families as caregivers and is dedicated to bringing our communities together to support everyone's right to live and die with dignity. "I see myself as a bridge between hospice and the Latinx community. I want to de- mystify what hospice is so that people know about us before they need us." She leans on her daily practice of gratitude and strong faith to guide her work in the community. Daisy has been instrumental in expanding the reach of Hospice of Santa Cruz County's bilingual Interfaith Memorial, which takes place each fall, near the Dia de los Muertos holiday. Families gather for a candle lighting and remembrance of their loved ones. "I was so moved by the Interfaith Memorial. People came with big photos, ashes, and mementos of the people they've lost," says Daisy. "Sharing our stories is so powerful. I'm glad to be a part of bringing this to my community. I know what we do matters." Camp Erin relies on the commitment of trained volunteers to join the grief support staff and bereavement specialists in presenting a safe and fun camp experience. In addition to Camp Erin, Hospice of Santa Cruz County offers many other ways to vol- unteer. Volunteer Visitors provide companionship and support to hospice patients and families, offering to do things like preparing a meal, reading to patients, or running errands to give families a break. Community Ambassador Volunteers help facilitate advance healthcare directive workshops or work behind the scenes. Grief Support Volunteers offer guidance and a listening ear through weekly grief groups, and the auxiliary volunteer group, Friends of Hospice, works throughout the year to fundraise and contribute to the hospice mission. If you're interested in volunteering, visit hos- picesantacruz.org/volunteer for more information. Contributed photo ACROSS 1. Blood-related problem 5. Econ. measure 8. Blue 11. A perch for Christmas partridge? 12. Domain 13. Fill college entrance form 15. Archaic preposition 16. Chili seed 17. Ski run 18. *Swedish environmental activist 20. Makes lace 21. Pi meson, pl. 22. Digital map marker 23. *Rachel Carson's "____ Spring" 26. Heater 30. "Wheel of Fortune" vowel request 31. Trouble, in Yiddish 34. Epochs 35. Type of sin- gle-story house 37. Noble title 38. Sandler and Driver 39. Not "out of " 40. Advice on shampoo bottle 42. *Pollinator of plants 43. ____ Cray, a.k.a. the father of supercomput- ing 45. *Earth Day founder 47. Benatar or Boone 48. Lacking clar- ity 50. Singer-song- writer Tori 52. *1969 Santa Barbara disaster 55. To some degree 56. Dig like a pig 57. Honoree's spot 59. Apartments, e.g. 60. Swine and avian diseases 61. Primary source for Nordic mythology 62. Cash machine 63. It's all the rage 64. Swallow's house EARTH DAY DOWN 1. PC "brain" 2. Christian fast 3. The Hippocratic one 4. Group of min- strels, e.g. 5. *Environmen- tally-friendly 6. Draws close 7. Spasm of pain 8. See him run? 9. "The Sound of Music" backdrop 10. Yellow #5 in list of ingredi- ents 12. Highly-ranked ecclesiasts 13. On the move 14. Arranged in advance 19. Usually the last inning 22. Wound fluid 23. Delhi dresses 24. Absurd 25. Like a dryer trap 26. *Cuyahoga River disaster, Clean Water Act precursor 27. Omani and Yemeni 28. Tarantino in his own movie, e.g. 29. Ruhr's indus- trial center 32. ____-friendly 33. Mourner's wish 36. *Refuse turned fertilizer 38. Consumed (2 words) 40. Monotonous routine 41. Teenagers' emotions 44. A mirage? 46. City in Netherlands 48. Between vio- lin and cello 49. Not silently 50. Polly to Tom Sawyer 51. Disfigure 52. ____ Ap- proach, music education 53. Serve soup 54. *Plastic tops of coffee cups 55. Sine ____ non 58. College entrance exam, acr. ANSWERS