Honoring Our Volunteers During National Volunteer Week

Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton, 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 Dayton and how they serve our mission. 

• Jane Adams has been a volunteer for six years because she wanted to give back to the organization. She assists with pet therapy. Her favorite memory was visiting with a patient who enjoyed the company of Stormy, a pet therapy dog. 
  
  
• Julie Bains has been serving for more than three years after her friend introduced her to the organization. She works with the Foundation and provides office support. 
  
  
• Frances Bankston has been volunteering for 17 years because she wanted to help others. Frances serves as an ambassador and makes patient visits. She enjoys talking to patients. 
  
  
• Karen Beam began volunteering in 2006. She serves as an ambassador, makes patient visits, and is a hairdresser. Working with staff and volunteers always puts a smile on her face. 
  
  
• Maan Broadstock has been a volunteer for 18 years after his mother received hospice care. Mann’s favorite memory as a volunteer is holding a patient’s hand and singing songs to them to calm them during a patient visit. 
  
  
• Kim Brough has been volunteering for three years. She provides office support; visits with patients; and sews activity mats, neck pillows and face masks. Her favorite memory is visiting with a patient who enjoyed greeting everyone with a smile and kind word. 
  
  
• Norma Colussi has been a volunteer for five years. Her favorite part of being a volunteer is being there for people who are struggling and overing them compassion. 
  
  
• Glenn Costie has volunteered for two years because he has a passion for the mission of Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton. He is a clerk at the Heirlooms Shoppes and enjoys learning how people repurpose items. 
  
  
• Doyce Crider has been volunteering for 26 years. She wanted to give back to the organization after her mother received hospice care. One of her favorite memories is helping with pet visits. 
  
  
• Mollie Cumins has been a volunteer for eight years. She decided to volunteer after the care her father received. She is an ambassador and prepares welcome bags for patients and families. 
  
  
• Donna Czechowski has been a volunteer for four years. She visits with patients and makes memory bears and activity mats. She enjoys working with a team of kind, compassionate and committed volunteers and staff. 
  
  
• Mary De Naples has been volunteering since 2002. She serves as a receptionist and greets visitors. Her favorite memory is making a candy bar cake for a patient who did not like birthday cake. 
  
  
• Meg Draeger has been volunteering for five years. She enjoys serving patients through baking. She helps them celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions with cakes, cupcakes and sweets. 
  
  
• Mary Galloway has volunteered for one year. She provides animal-assisted therapy with her dog, Leah. Her favorite memory was visiting with a patient and his family who enjoyed Leah’s company. 
  
  
• Dave Gasper has been a volunteer for 25 years, providing support in a variety of roles. His favorite memory as a volunteer was serving as a pall bearer for a former patient he had befriended with four other volunteers. 
  
  
• Tom Gannon has volunteered for three years. His primary role is visiting with patients. His favorite memories are seeing smiles on patients’ faces when he visits with them. 
  
  
• Debbie Goldberg has been a volunteer for almost 20 years because she wanted to give back to the community. She makes Pathways of Hope phone calls and visits with patients. 
  
  
• Kathleen Hendrickson has been volunteering for 16 years. She started volunteering so she could help others who are grieving. She is a buddy and group leader at Camp Pathways, a children’s grief camp. 
  
  
• Sharon Hurley has been a volunteer since 2014. She volunteers as an art therapy assistant. Her favorite memory was helping a patient make cards for her grandchildren’s future birthdays and milestones. 
  
  
• Josephus Keeble has been a volunteer for almost one year. He fills in wherever he is needed. His favorite memory is talking with a patient’s loved one. 
  
  
• Sandi Landis started volunteering 13 years ago because she wanted to give back. She visits with patients, enters data, and makes crafts. She enjoys receiving a smile and hug from patients. 
  
  
• Sue Lawson has been volunteering for two years because she wanted to have a meaningful purpose. She has provided caregiver relief and worked at the Heirlooms Shoppes. Her favorite interaction as a volunteer was piecing together puzzles with a patient during patient visits. 
  
  
• George Loney has volunteered for three years. He is a driver and a part of the American Pride program. His favorite memories are visiting with Veteran patients. 
  
  
• Harriet Loney has been a volunteer for three years because she enjoys doing things for others. She enjoys making and delivering flower arrangements to patients and families. 
  
  
• Virgil McDaniel became a volunteer six years ago because he wanted to make a difference. He serves as an ambassador and receptionist. Virgil enjoys talking to patients who do not have visitors. 
  
  
• Karen Metro has been a volunteer for 20 years. She visits assisted living and nursing homes with her animal-assisted therapy cat and volunteers at the Heirlooms Shoppes. She enjoys connecting with people through conversation. 
  
  
• Cheryl Oney has been volunteering for more than four years. She enjoys being an ambassador, crafting items for patients, and talking to patients and their families. 
  
  
• Linda Parrott has been volunteering since 2005 because she wanted to serve her community. She serves as a patient visitor and provides caregiver relief. 
  
  
• MaryEllen Place has been a volunteer for 23 years. She provides office support and was an ambassador. Her favorite memory is staying with a dying patient and visiting with their family members. 
  
  
• Valerie Schaefer has been volunteering for more than 20 years. She has provided respite care, visited with patients, and helped with volunteer training. She enjoys volunteer training sessions and hearing people’s reasons for wanting to volunteer. 
  
  
• Tracy Schaffner has been volunteering since 2011. She enjoys visiting with patients, providing office support, making flower arrangements, and offering freshly brewed coffee to visitors. 
  
  
• Deanna Schuler has been a volunteer for two years because she likes helping others. Her favorite memory is visiting with a patient nearly every day and talking for hours. 
  
  
• Sandy Spencer has been a volunteer for 10 years. Sandy knits and crochets blankets for patients. She says it is rewarding to make blankets for Veterans and enjoys receiving notes from patients’ loved ones. 
  
  
• Pam Stephens has been a volunteer for more than 40 years. She originally served as a board member. She has fond many memories throughout her years of service, but her favorite memory is sitting in Betty Schmoll’s office, the founder of Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton, and concepting a hospice office and care center, which today is the Colp Building at Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton. 
  
  
• Paul Richard Tudor has been a volunteer for five years. He enjoys being able to give back to others and appreciates the mission of Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton. 
  
  
• Joan Wagner has been a volunteer for 10 years. She has served as a patient visitor, outreach caller, and transportation. Her favorite memories are being involved in life celebrations and learning the stories of patients. 
  
  
• Dorothy Williams has been volunteering for around five years. Her favorite part of being a volunteer is seeing the passion and dedication of volunteers and staff. 
  
  
• Vanessa Whitaker has been volunteering for one year because she wanted to serve the community. She is looking forward to volunteering again after COVID-19. 

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