Honoring Our Volunteers During National Volunteer Week

Ohio’s Hospice of Central Ohio, an affiliate of Ohio’s Hospice, is celebrating National Volunteer Week, April 18-24. The not-for-profit hospice is grateful for the contributions of its volunteers and the work they do each and every day to support our staff in providing superior care and superior services to the patients and families we have the privilege of serving.

Volunteers provide a variety of services throughout the community. Visiting with patients, delivering supplies, assisting with office duties, and making keepsake items for patients and families are just a few ways volunteers donate their time. In addition, Veteran volunteers are a part of the American Pride® Veteran Care by Ohio’s Hospice by performing Veteran recognition ceremonies to honor the service of Veteran patients.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many volunteer activities were put on hold. However, volunteers provided support wherever they could to support the mission of Ohio’s Hospice and its affiliates while following COVID-19 guidelines. During the past year, volunteers across the state have written letters of encouragement to staff, sewn cloth face masks, crafted face mask extenders, decorated and delivered Christmas trees, made blankets for patients, decorated patient windows at long-term care facilities, made arrangements for personal protective equipment donations, and more.

Thank you to our volunteers for their continued support of our mission. Volunteers are truly the heart of hospice care.

We invite you take a moment to read about some of our volunteers at Ohio’s Hospice of Central Ohio and how they serve our mission. 

• Jonna Carney has been volunteering for five years. She sews for the Handmade Items Team and bakes birthday cakes for the Celebrations Team. Jonna enjoys receiving notes of appreciation for the items she has made. 

• Joseph Machado has been a volunteer for two years through the American Pride program. He performs Veteran recognition ceremonies for Veteran patients in our care. He says it is rewarding to see the genuine appreciation and gratitude of Veterans and their families for recognition of their service to our nation.

• Joanne Streby has been a volunteer for four years because she wanted to give back to Ohio’s Hospice of Central Ohio after they cared for her parents and husband. She sews a variety of items including patient gowns, quilts and comfort pillows. She also is a part of the Kindness Committee. Joanne’s favorite memory as a volunteer is receiving a thank–you note for a quilt she made. 

• Zane and Carole Wachtel have been volunteering since the 1990s. They volunteer for Foundation events and assist with fundraising. Zane also is an office courier. Their favorite part of volunteering is listening to people as they share their stories during the annual Light Up a Life campaign.

If you would like to learn more about volunteering, click here.