Our volunteers are the backbone of the hospice team. They allow us to provide services that comfort and encourage families and patients as they work through the difficult stages of terminal illness.

Since the beginning, volunteers have played a special role in the growth of our hospice, sharing their time, energy and expertise. Volunteers are absolutely vital in fulfilling the hospice mission to care for patients and families facing the end of life.

From office work and fundraising to caring for patients, our volunteers are a part of the hospice family.

Volunteer Opportunities

Duties vary but our volunteers generally provide the following:

• Patient/Family Care - Assisting patients and their families by offering support, running errands and helping with household duties.
   
• Children's Program - Work specifically with children who have experienced the loss of a loved one through group facilitation and one to one mentorship.
   
• Administrative Support - Working in the office on mailings, data entry and maintaining the lending library.
   
• Community Awareness - Volunteers provide information to the community about hospice programs and services.
   
• Fundraising - Assist in raising the funds necessary to maintain the services offered through the bereavement program, Quality of Life Fund and other non-reimbursable projects.

Hospice is always looking for additional volunteers in the northern Emmet county area as well as Charlevoix. Individual and group training opportunities are available; if you are interested in learning more about our volunteer program, please call 231-487-4825.

Volunteer Training 2007
A volunteer training program will be conducted starting on Monday, January 29, 2007. The sessions will run for four weeks, meeting Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:30-7:30 PM. The classes will be held at the Hospice of Little Traverse Bay offices located at 3434 M-119, Harbor Springs.

To register for the next training, please call 231-487-4825.

Hospice Recognizes Volunteer Commitment
Each year in April, volunteers from many different programs are recognized, thanked and honored for their commitment to volunteerism. Hospice of Little Traverse Bay has taken that recognition one step further. The program, begun in 1981 by a group of volunteers seeking to provide better support to cancer patients, continues to rely on volunteers in many ways.

Hospice volunteers provide hundreds of hours of service each year whether it is being a companion for caregivers or patients, reading poetry and books, running errands, facilitating bereavement groups, working with bereaved children, working in the office or raising money to support the programs. Volunteers remain an integral part of every hospice program.

“We currently have about 45 active patient care volunteers who have been through the training course and have made themselves available to work with our patients and families, says Program Director, Lisa Ashley.”

Over 120 volunteers help Hospice raise funds to support their programs each year.

"Volunteers are the key to our auction's success," said Ashley. " Without the people who help us with decorations, gathering items, calling sponsors and general administration of the event, it would not be as successful. It's just too large of an event to be handled without volunteer efforts."

Hospice recognizes their volunteers each year in May by hosting a recognition dinner. Through the generosity of Mark Littler and his family, Hospice has established the Edith Littler Volunteer Recognition Fund which allows them to say thank you to all of the volunteers. The family felt a strong connection with the Hospice volunteers who worked with Mrs. Littler in Arizona and wanted to support those who work for the local program.

"Through the Edith Littler Volunteer Recognition Fund we have been able to better say thank you to all those who make us successful," said Ashley. "Awards are presented and best of all, we get to bring all of the volunteers together in one place for fellowship and fun."

The2006 Volunteer Recognition Dinner was held this year on Thursday, April 20 at Stafford's Perry Hotel.