Volunteers are the Heart of Big Bend Hospice

25th anniversary logo 125.gif A Big Bend Hospice family calls to have someone come sit with their mother so they can go out for their anniversary; a grieving husband receives a phone call from a volunteer who is checking in to see how he is holding up; a group of volunteers meet to discuss how to make sure that no one in need of hospice services in Wakulla county is unaware of Big Bend Hospice. All of these caring people live and work right here in Wakulla County and share their time with their friends and neighbors as Big Bend Hospice volunteers. Big Bend Hospice was founded by volunteers 25 years ago to provide a different more compassionate way to finish life’s journey. Today we serve over 126 families each year in Wakulla County and within our eight county service area serve 375 families every day.

Volunteering does not necessaryily mean working directly with patients. Although all of our patients and their families are offered a volunteer to help with errands, provide transportation and offer companionship, there are many other opportunities to volunteer. Advisory Council members, for example, meet monthly and act as ambassadors in their community, advising Big Bend Hospice on issues in their county and helping to increase awareness of hospice services. These committed men and women are stay-at-home moms, business people, and retirees but each has in common the desire to help others.

volunteers 2008 300.gif “Volunteering to me is a way of giving back and helping people through service with the only compensation being a happy heart,” says Bill Versiga, a volunteer with the Wakulla County Advisory Council. Kathryn Beaty, another Council volunteer, echoes these sentiments. “As a volunteer with Big Bend Hospice, I always get back more than I give."

Big Bend Hospice Wakulla County Advisory Council members include Becky Finch, Kathryn Beaty, Amy Geiger, Don Henderson, Tammie Barfield, Sharol Brown, Sherrie Alverson, Sondra Brown, Ruby Allen, Mary Katherine Westmark, David Conn, Bill Versiga, Joan Smith, and Mila Hills. During National Volunteer Appreciation Week, April 27 through May 3, Big Bend Hospice salutes the caring men and women who volunteer in Wakulla county.

“These special people are enriching lives and making a difference to hospice families” says Pam Raker Allbritton, Community Resources Coordinator for Big Bend Hospice. “They not only sit at bedsides, they sit in 90 degree heat at fairs and festivals, they put together goodie bags, they bake and speak on our behalf at clubs and churches….they are the heart and soul of our organization.”

If you are interested in becoming a Hospice volunteer, please call Pam at (850) 508-8749 for the next orientation session. Volunteer to Change the World; it starts with a phone call!

This article originally published on May 1, 2008.