Hospice of Redmond honors volunteers during National Volunteer Week

 REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- National Volunteer Week provides the opportunity to recognize the millions of Americans who provide volunteer service in communities across the country, and Hospice of Redmond is honoring and celebrating the service of all volunteers this week, recognizing the lasting impacts volunteers make now more than ever.

During this National Volunteer Week, Hospice of Redmond honors and celebrates those caring individuals that do so much for so many – particularly hospice volunteers that accompany people during life’s final journey. Volunteers are a part of this special care that brings compassion and dignity to patients and their families. Whether a volunteer is serving at the bedside, in the office, educating others, or raising awareness, they are the heart of hospice.

“The history of hospice started with volunteers, and like no other organization I know of, volunteers are written into the very core of the Interdisciplinary Team approach to the most effective and compassionate end of life care. By sharing their time, energy, and expertise, our volunteers bring compassion and caring to the lives of those in need, and we celebrate them not only during National Volunteer Week but every day,” shared Jill Wolfe, Hospice of Redmond Volunteer Coordinator.

At Hospice of Redmond, over 80 trained volunteers give selflessly to support many throughout Central Oregon, and even now, when volunteers can’t visit patients and their families face to face, they are helping staff meet needs by virtually visiting with their hospice patients and transitions clients, sewing memory bears, providing food for nurses and sewing masks and gowns.

Each year, Hospice of Redmond hosts an annual Volunteer Appreciation dinner, which this year has been cancelled due to COVID-19.  To honor and celebrate service of volunteers, Hospice of Redmond staff is giving each individual volunteer an appreciation gift filled with items designed by staff or donated by local businesses, has created a video with words of appreciation from each Hospice staff member and is sharing the stories of volunteers on social media throughout the week. 

Rachel Carver, who has volunteered with Hospice of Redmond for over five years, said the following, “When I retired in 2014, I had one item at the top of my list and that was to volunteer for Hospice.  I chose Hospice of Redmond because it is an organization and mission that I care deeply about, and I wanted to do something to give back to the community.  Volunteering keeps me connected and active in my community and makes a difference to the people around me.  To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.”

One of Hospice of Redmond’s veteran volunteers, David Brock, who served in the United States Army, also revealed his experiences as a hospice volunteer. 

“It takes very little effort to make a difference. I feel we would all be better off, if, each day, we voluntarily made that effort to add something unique to someone else's life,” said Brock. “I have been volunteering with Hospice for six years, but this past summer, I started with my first veteran hospice patient.  I would visit two to three times a week, and one day, I stopped by Dairy Queen before I visited.  Even with all the pain and trauma he was dealing with, the smile on his face lit up the room.  I also volunteer with the Honor Guard in Prineville, touching hundreds of people with the tunes from my bagpipes. Knowing you make a difference, makes a difference.”

It is federally mandated under Medicare that five percent of all patient care hours be provided by trained volunteers, reflecting the vital role that volunteers play in the provision of care. But even if the integration of volunteers was not required, Hospice of Redmond would still consider them critical members of the team. The Central Oregon community is a better, more compassionate place because of their service.

To watch the video highlighting volunteers, follow @hospiceofredmond on Facebook or click on the following link: https://www.facebook.com/1194327640577414/videos/522621598431108/   For those interested in learning more about hospice or volunteer opportunities, please visit  www.hospiceofredmond.org or call 541-548-7483 and ask for Jill Wolfe, Hospice of Redmond Volunteer Coordinator.    

 Hospice of Redmond is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, independent and Medicare-certified organization founded in 1981 that has touched the lives of hundreds of individuals in Central Oregon providing compassionate quality end of life care, bereavement support, transitions programs and community support.