Staff photo by Dean Shalhoup Jennifer Calautti, right, chats with Hyla Jaffe about some of the silent auction items, including a rocking chair, arranged for bidding at the start of Sunday's Home Health & Hospice Care Champagne Luncheon fundraiser.

“There’s no one else like Audrey Hepburn,” Andrade said in welcoming yet another sellout crowd to the popular annual fundraiser that benefits the agency’s Community Hospice House.

But then they had an idea: Why not honor the very volunteers who, despite sometimes monumental personal challenges or unexpected family crises, push it all aside to contribute all they can to help the agency continue its mission of making terminally ill people as comfortable as possible in their final weeks?

Andrade went on to read biographical summaries of several women who fit into that category, calling them, without identifying them by name, “true Wonder Women,” a tribute that reflects this year’s theme.

Beginning with Andrade’s champagne toast “to all the Wonder Women in this room … we thank you for what you do every day,” the program featured an unusually large silent auction, a robust live auction led by longtime volunteer auctioneer Charlie Dobens, greetings from HHHC leaders and a unique on-the-spot pledge drive called “Hospice Angels.”

Staff photo by Dean Shalhoup Volunteer auctioneer Charlie Dobens coaxes bids for one of the live auction items featured at Sunday's 20th annual Champagne Luncheon, a benefit event for Home Health & Hospice Care.

Elizabeth Cote, a pet therapist and chairwoman of the agency’s board of directors, was singled out for “getting us more than 45 items for the auction” and bringing some 28 guests to the luncheon.

“We’ve never seen anything quite like this,” Andrade said, referring to Cote’s impressive guest list. Cote drew laughter when she corrected Andrade: “It’s actually 29” guests.

Board secretary Dee Pringle, who is also president of the Good Cheer Society, told attendees the society has raised and donated to the agency $4,000 each month for many years.

Home Health & Hospice Care traces its roots to the society, which was founded some 136 years ago by several local women concerned with the health and welfare of Nashua’s poor and disadvantaged individuals and families.

The society would later become a support arm of the agency, and remains so today.

Staff photo by Dean Shalhoup Attendees to Sunday's 20th annual Home Health & Hospice Care Champagne Luncheon fundraiser check out some of the silent auction items on display at the start of the event.

Hyla Jaffe, who attended the luncheon for the first time, said she found the event “delightful” as she browsed the array of silent auction items in the company of Jennifer Calautti, whose Bedford company, EmbroidMe, was an event sponsor.

Although the theme suggested an all-female cast of “superheroes,” at least a couple of men sported themed clothing and accessories.

Carl Andrade, the development director’s husband, wore a “Flash Gordon” lightening bolt T-shirt under his sport coat, while Aaron Delage, whose wife, Paula, is the agency’s director of corporate giving, played the dual role of “Superman” and Clark Kent, the “mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper.”

Tina Andrade, meanwhile, shared with attendees brief stories of three current Home Health & Hospice Care volunteers who met and conquered various hardships along the way.

One lost a 20-year-old daughter, then her husband, in a short time span. “With all her family (members) far away, she was overcome with sadness,” Andrade said.

Staff photo by Dean Shalhoup Two of several "superheroes" at Sunday's Home Health & Hospice Care Champagne Luncheon greet guests to the 20th annual event. Paula Telage, the agency's director of corporate giving, chats with her husband, Aaron Telage, who filled the roles of both "mild-mannered reporter" Clark Kent and "Superman."

“But she channelled that sadness by picking weeds, cleaning, helping out the cook at the Hospice House, doing whatever needed done.

“Now that’s a Wonder Woman,” Andrade added.

Another is a “professional woman with a very difficult job … she’s responsible for helping other people,” Andrade said.

She became a grandmother, but the family lived half a world away, making regular visits

impossible.

Staff photo by Dean Shalhoup Home Health & Hospice Care director of development Tina Andrade kicks off the "Hospice Angels" portion of the fundraising at Sunday's 20th annual Champagne Luncheon, during which attendees make on-the-spot donations that begin at $40,000 and count down from there. The event sold out again this year.

“So she got up at 5 every morning, and using Skype, she read bedtime stories to her grandchild,” Andrade said.

She told also of a woman and her husband whose long-anticipated plans for their retirement years were dashed when he became ill shortly after they retired.

“She nursed him, and nursed him … until he died at the Community Hospice House,” Andrade said. Not long afterward, the woman returned, this time to ask what she could do for the facility.

“She was always cheerful,” Andrade said. “She handled what life gave her.”

Dean Shalhoup can be reached at 594-1256, dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com or @Telegraph_DeanS.

Staff photo by Dean Shalhoup Marcia Donaldson, left, and Jolie Blauvelt, longtime members of the Home Health & Hospice Care board of directors, blended patriotic and superhero themes for the agency's 20th annual Champagne Luncheon on Sunday.