Friends of Hyder Family Hospice House
Our Mission
is to continue and support the valuable care for those with life-limiting illnesses as well as the long-standing vision to have in-patient hospice services available at the
Hyder Family
Hospice House.
Our Vision
is to assist Hyder Family Hospice House to remain a viable, outstanding facility that offers support and care for the entire family including patients, their families, and Hyder Family Hospice House staff.Friends of Hyder Family Hospice House was formed in July 2014 after the April 2014
announcement of the closure of Hyder Family Hospice House, 285 County Farm Road, Dover, NH. The founding members had experienced first hand the
incredible facility and services at Hyder Family Hospice House and were
determined to offer support to help keep this beautiful place available to others.
Friends of Hyder Family Hospice made known its support to the Strafford County
Commissioners and Delegates and had reached over 850 people on Facebook
who were willing to support this in-patient hospice facility.
In July 2015, Hyder Family Hospice House re-opened and is in full operation today.
Over the years, we have enhanced the working environment for the hard-working staff and have
assisted patients in many various ways. We have used your generous donations to help maintain and beautify the grounds
and gardens. We have also purchased and installed bird feeders throughout the property which we keep filled so that
the birds come to greet the staff and patients.
Board of Directors
Dawn Castles, Chair
Jon VanGuilder, Vice-Chair
Anne Holliday, Treasurer
Sharon Smith , Secretary
Leo Arel
Christine McKenna
Dawn began her service work in hospice when she was in high school where she first found her passion for the mission of hospice. She has spent her career in health care serving seniors in nursing home, hospice care and at home. She began her volunteer work with Hyder Family Hospice when a neighbor sent an email out to the neighborhood sharing that that local hospice house was reopening. With the reopening, they needed help cleaning and organizing. Those couple of hours turned into the privilege to serve on the all-volunteer Friends of Hyder Family Hospice Board.
Jon retired from the US Air Force after serving thirty active duty years. He remains engaged with the US military as a pilot instructor for the flight simulator at Pease Air National Guard Base. Jon has been volunteering at Hyder Family Hospice House since 2015, primarily assisting with special projects in the surrounding gardens and grounds. Jon joined the Friends of Hyder Family Hospice House Board of Director in 2020 desiring to serve the Hyder Family Hospice House residents, patient families, and facility staff in all areas of support.
Anne is an intrepid world traveler and lover of dogs. She is an executive Coach and strategy specialist. Her unique talents include really listening, breaking large goals into action items to ensure successes and communtiy influener. Having spent the past 35 years in various volunteer positions throughout the greater seacoast she has learned the ability to ask anyone for anything on behalf of a charitable beneficiary.
Sharon lives in Rochester with her husband, Dale, of 43 years spanning his career in the Air Force living in Mississippi, Michigan and the United Kingdom. She raised two adult children who now have families of their own including three young grandchildren. Sharon has worked in the legal profession for over 25 years.
Leo became a board member in 2020 when he was recruited by his soup kitchen friends, Jon and Marie VanGuilder. He has been married for 35 years and is the proud father of two girls and Poppy to a granddaughter. His community service includes many years of church and group leadership. He actively mentors young professionals at Pratt & Whitney, where he has worked for 38 years. He hopes to bring humor to the board and kindness to those he serves.
Christine is a founding board member of the FHFHH driven by the passion to see families manage a “better death” for their loved one as well as raising awareness in our community of the compassionate services the hospice environment provides for the dying and their family. Christine is a licensed clinical social worker having worked in the justice system for 30 years. She raised her family in New Hampshire and engages in social advocacy for vulnerable populations and provides consulting services to corporations in areas of mental health, substance use and wellness. Traveling is a major passion along with golf, running and cuddling with her three chihuahua loves: Jackson, Tucker and Emery.
Please click on photo to learn more about the board member.