Hospice of Hilo honored its volunteers May 4 at its annual volunteer appreciation luncheon. ADVERTISING Hospice of Hilo honored its volunteers May 4 at its annual volunteer appreciation luncheon. This year marks the final volunteer luncheon for retiring Hospice of
Hospice of Hilo honored its volunteers May 4 at its annual volunteer appreciation luncheon.
This year marks the final volunteer luncheon for retiring Hospice of Hilo volunteer manager Pearl Lyman, who performed 15 years of service to the organization.
“The day was filled with joy and sunshine, smiles and tears, wonder and amazement as we calculated the years we have spent together in the volunteer department,” Lyman said. “As I watched and saw the laughter at this, my last luncheon, I remember that the years of working with volunteers have taught me that they bring more than just their heart to this service; they bring their wisdom and kindness carved from their own losses and use it to offer pure comfort to our patients and their families.
“They serve with so much love and gratitude that each volunteer is truly my source of inspiration.”
Hospice of Hilo volunteers are called upon to perform an array of supportive services, including patient care and feeding, respite care, bereavement care, transportation, companionship, shopping, errands, active listening and reading, as well as office administrative support and public relations.
Volunteers also help individuals and families understand Advanced Health Care Directives, Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment forms as well as being a resource to help families have the conversation about what a loved one may want when he or she is facing a serious or life-limiting illness.
With the opening of Hospice of Hilo’s Pohai Malama a Harry &Jeanette Weinberg Care Center in 2012, the services offered by volunteers have become even more varied with individuals volunteering to help with gardening needs as well as one volunteer coming in specifically to play music for patients and their loved ones.
“I’m so grateful for all the work the volunteers do to care for the patients and care for the organization,” said Brenda S. Ho, Hospice of Hilo CEO. “And I am tremendously grateful for all the years of love and dedication Pearl has put into the volunteer program and into Hospice of Hilo.”
