“Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.” — author unknown
When I was growing up, I remember stories of people who made their job their life. They spent almost all their time at the office or on the worksite. When it came time for them to finally retire, they drove their wives up the wall because they didn’t have anything to keep them busy.
There was, of course, something that would both help them stay occupied and help their community: volunteering. That might make you think of spending time packing boxes of food for families in need or building a playground for local children. There’s another way to volunteer, though, that doesn’t call for cans of soup, or hammers and screwdrivers.
The volunteer opportunities we offer at Centrica Care Navigators are about getting to know people, talking, and sharing stories. They are about helping families enjoy their time together. They are about doing things for people by doing things with people.
Here are some of the ways you can help seniors, children, and everyone in between living in southwest Michigan by volunteering with Centrica Care Navigators.
Centrica Rose Arbor Place host
Centrica Rose Arbor Place is our site for patients who need more dedicated care than they are typically able to receive at home.
While we have trained staff to help with patient care and to treat their symptoms, we are looking for hosts, people who greet visitors at the front door and answer questions for family members visiting a loved one.
Hosting is about being available for people, and making sure they, like the patient they are visiting, are comfortable and cared for.
This is a great volunteer opportunity for you if:
· You like meeting new people and helping them get where they need to go.
· You want to be part of a small, tight-knit group: the team at Centrica Rose Arbor Place.
· We’re especially excited for volunteers interested in joining us for a few hours on the weekend — families visit patients on the weekends, our staff is there to support them, and we’re looking for volunteers who can help.
Notary public
The end-of-life process involves a lot of paperwork. Each patient at Centrica Care Navigators has their own care team who can help with complex issues like finances and forms. Sometimes, though, all a patient needs is someone who can make a document official.
We keep our notaries public active, and we’d like to have several throughout our 10-county coverage area to reach everyone in need. If you have a notary stamp collecting dust on your desk, give us a call.
This is a great volunteer opportunity for you if:
· You’re familiar with the notary process and have notary materials.
· You have time to support people getting their affairs in order.
Story Catcher editor
Story Catcher is the name for our program of gathering memories for loved ones to treasure for years. Volunteers sit with patients and gently interview them, capturing their thoughts about life and stories of their past. Then another team of volunteers edits the stories, making them sound their very best to create a keepsake for families.
This is a great volunteer opportunity for you if:
· You like hearing fascinating stories of the people around you.
· You are ready to learn audio editing software or already have that skill and knowledge.
Veteran pinning
Sometimes it seems like we don’t honor our military veterans enough. One small way we say “thank you” is with a veteran pinning ceremony, where we present a certificate of appreciation and a lapel pin to veterans in hospice care. It’s something we can do to show how grateful we are for the people who have given so much for us.
This is a great volunteer opportunity for you if:
· You like getting to know people one-on-one and hearing their stories.
· You want to show your appreciation for our service members.
Journeys meetings
Centrica Journeys is our grief support program for children ages 5 to 18 who have had a loss. They meet regularly with trained grief counselors, but there is always a need for an extra set of hands and another friendly face at a meeting to help with discussions and creating art projects.
This is a great volunteer opportunity for you if:
· You like working with children and their families.
· You are comfortable with teaching or leading a small group.
It’s easy to get involved in volunteering at Centrica Care Navigators. You can visit our website or call our office at 269.345.0273.
