Published: August 14, 2008 10:55 pm         

Helping Hospice

Volunteers put their unique talents to work

Volunteering with hospice care can involve any number of ways to provide comfort, support and service.

For some, however, working directly with hospice patients and their families may be too painful, particularly for those who’ve recently lost a loved one.

Others have gifts and talents that better suit them for a more indirect — yet nonetheless vital — ways of helping out.

Shirley Snuffer of Beckley found a way to use her love of Christian music to help Hospice of Southern West Virginia Inc. She organizes gospel singing events that have raised about $34,000 since 1997.

“It’s a big blessing to see how everything comes together and how it helps Hospice,” Snuffer said. “I’ve used Hospice three times in our family, and I went through cancer myself. It’s a wonderful organization, and I wanted to find a way to keep supporting them.”

The Round Up of Gospel Singers brings together about 25 groups who form a large choir. Each event draws a good crowd, Snuffer said.

“People in this area really enjoy good gospel singing, and we have some wonderful groups in this area. The singers enjoy singing, and the listeners are uplifted and encouraged by what they hear. Everybody leaves knowing the monetary contributions they’ve made are going to help an organization that does so much for our community,” she said.

Snuffer tries to coordinate the event at least three times a year and doesn’t mind all the calling and organizing that goes into it.

“I enjoy talking with people, and when I call the different groups, they’re very willing to help because they’ve participated before and they know how much they’re helping,” she said. “This is a wonderful blessing to serve our Lord and serve one another as we reach out to hurting people.”

Hospice of Southern West Virginia provides two major services. Home-side care involves nurses who work with patients who prefer to spend their last days at home. These services are coordinated at the headquarters in the Pinecrest Hospital building.

The agency also operates the Doug and Lucy Bowers Hospice House at Cranberry, which provides a warm, caring environment for those who, for some reason, cannot be at home.

There are many ways volunteers can lend their support to Hospice care.

“As far as volunteer opportunities, they are as varied as the people who perform them,” said Lisa McMillion, marketing director for Hospice of Southern West Virginia. “Volunteers bring their individual talents into Hospice and adapt them to our environment, be that a patient’s home or at the Bowers House. We’ve had volunteers like Shirley who’ve taken the lead in organizing their own fundraisers, and we have many volunteers who help us out with our pre-scheduled fundraisers at events like our upcoming Appalachian Arts and Crafts Hillbilly breakfast.”

One male volunteer will come and set up a tent and display any time McMillion needs his help.

Volunteer cosmetologists who like to do “makeovers” may be able to use those skills for patients who want to look their best.

“I think there’s a common misconception that all volunteers do is sit by a patient’s bed waiting for them to die. That’s not what it’s all about at all,” McMillion said. “It’s about enabling patients to enjoy life as long as possible. We try to find ways to do whatever it takes to make that happen.”

Other volunteers help people tend their vegetable and flower gardens, mow their lawns, help them cook, help write letters to keep in touch with family and friends.

“Sure, we have patients who might want their hands held, but we also have those who want you to deal them a good hand and play a game of cards. There are ordained minister volunteers who’ve visited our Hospice patients and provided spiritual support. There was one instance where a volunteer minister even performed a wedding for a Hospice patient.”

Clerical help is always needed, she said.

“If it were not for our behind-the-scenes volunteers who prefer busy work and know computers, we’d be drowning in paperwork,” McMillion said. “They help us answer phones, send thank-you notes and acknowledgments and suggest to us ways to streamline and become more efficient. Many of these folks have retired after years of benefiting a corporation or business with their talents, and now they bring those talents to Hospice.”

For more information about how to volunteer or to donate financially, call 304-255-6404.

— E-mail: bdavis@register-herald.com