Messenger July/August 2010

July/August 2010: In This Issue

Message from the CEO

Summer School

Ways to Volunteer

New Volunteer Orientation

Department News

Message from the CEO

There are few experiences in modern life that are as meaningful as volunteering. Many of you have told me about the catch in your throat that comes when you tell others about Hope, your service here, and how you are helping others.

We hope that volunteering makes you feel valued, involved and needed. A new study based on a survey of 4,500 Americans confirms that volunteer service can improve a person's physical and emotional health as well as your outlook on life.

Among the findings:

More than 60% of those who volunteered in the past year report that volunteering made them feel physically healthier.
89% agree that volunteering improved their sense of well-being.
92% said that volunteering enriches their purpose in life.
Volunteers are significantly more likely to characterize themselves as "optimistic" compared to non-volunteers.

The study also found that volunteering creates deep connections with other people - we see it every day at Hope.

This information should be shared with your friends and loved ones. Let them know that volunteering adds a great deal to a person's life; it is also good for you, for Hope and for the community!

Thank you for all that you do.

- Samira K. Beckwith

Hope President and CEO

Welcome Bob Sheehan

Welcome to Bob Sheehan, who has accepted the responsibilities of Volunteer Services Manager. Bob has been with Hope since August 2009 as a Memorial Services Counselor.

Summer School Information Fair

Southwest Florida
To Learn and Grow: Things I Need to Know
Hope's summer school is quickly approaching! Lee, Hendry and Glades Volunteers are invited to Hope's First Volunteer Information Fair. Hope Select/Choices, RSVP, Infection Control, Hope Chest, Hope Memorial Support, Hope Valor, Hope Parkinson Support, Hope Students, and Hope Photo booths will be available with information volunteers can use to make their jobs easier. The fair offers fun and will be a good way to get credit hours for your two annual in-services. And... don't miss the ice cream!

Fort Myers: July 14, 2010
Bonita Springs: July 21, 2010
Lehigh Acres: July 22, 2010
Cape Coral: July 28, 2010

All Informational Fairs are from 1:00-3:00 p.m. If you cannot attend in your area, feel free to attend in another location. Bring a friend! Don't forget to register with your volunteer specialist and find out how you can register to win door prizes.

Mid-Florida
Class 1 - "Afterthoughts: What happens after a patient dies"
Hope Memorial Support Counselor, Bob Sheehan, will discuss planning a memorial service or funeral. He'll talk about what a family can expect as they work through final arrangements, as well as how Hope volunteers can assist a family after a love one's death.

Class 2 - "Infection Control: To Touch or Not To Touch...
That is the question."
The basics of infection control will be discussed, including proper hand-washing technique, proper gloving procedures, disposal of contaminated items, and general prevention techniques.

Then, enjoy ice cream!

Highlands County
July 16, 2010
10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Crown Pointe Nursing Facility
5005 Sun N Lake Blvd
(across the street from the Hope office)

Polk County
July 16, 2010
1:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Larry R. Jackson Branch Library
1700 North Florida Avenue, Lakeland

Bring a friend... the fair offers fun and will be a good way to get credit hours for your two annual in-services.   RSVP to Amy Souza or Allison Lao and find out how you can register to win door prizes!

Ways to Volunteer

Lee County
Cape - Help is needed in the kitchen for the following times:
Lunch 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. - Sundays, Tuesdays or Thursdays
Dinner 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. - Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays
Call Nina Tomasello to schedule a shift or for more information.

Cape - HIM (Medical Records) needs help on Tuesdays for 3 to 4 hours filing. Call Nina Tomasello to schedule a shift or for more information.

Fort Myers HealthPark - Bridge player needed, any afternoon, at Hospice House. Contact Lynnan Grissinger if you are interested.

Fort Myers - Winkler Office - Weekly office help is needed. Days and times are flexible. Assistance is needed with basic office tasks and computer work. Training is provided. Contact Lynnan Grissinger if interested.

North Fort Myers Community Center - 3-4 volunteers are needed to help with computer work in the Volunteer office, 2-4 hours weekly. If interested, please contact Colette Johns or David Kowalski.

Lee County - The Facilities Team needs visiting volunteers one day a week for a couple of hours. A list of patients is provided. Please contact David Kowalski if you have a couple of hours to share each week. Facilities in need of visitors, especially in the summer, are:
Springwood Court
Pondella Serenity
Heritage Park
Calusa Harbour
Emeritus of Ft. Myers

Lee County - Pet visit volunteers are needed. Would you like to bring your dog or cat to visit? Those fuzzy faces are so well received. Please call David Kowalski if you can help at any of these facilities:
Emeritus of Ft. Myers
Lehigh Health and Rehab
Calusa Harbour

Highlands County

Patient care-looking for volunteers to sit with patients in facilities or residences for socialization or to merely give caregivers respite to run errands and personal time, especially in the Avon Park and Lake Placid areas. If you can help, contact Allison Lao.

Office help-We are looking for a couple of people to come into the office on a weekly basis to help with filing, sorting and other odds and ends type jobs. Please contact Allison Lao.

Gardening-We have a patient who can no longer work in the yard and would like to have a volunteer help with weeding and other yard work. Want to help? Contact Allison Lao.

Polk County
Cookie Baker needed in the Lakeland office to bake the Otis Spunkmeyer cookies. Cookies are easy to bake and package. Please contact Amy Souza if you can assist.

Lawn Assistance needed for all areas in the county.Days and times are flexible.Contact Amy Souza if interested.

Patient Visit Volunteers - Visit patients in homes, nursing or assisted living homes to talk, read, play music, etc., for all areas in Polk County. Contact Amy Souza if you can help.

All Areas
Pet Evaluators: Are you currently a Pet Visitation volunteer? If you have at least six months' experience and would like to assist Hope in evaluating pets to become Pet Visitation Volunteers, please contact your volunteer specialist for more information.

Photographers: Do you have an eye for photography? Hope is looking for volunteers to attend some of our events or Hope Select field trips and take digital pictures. Please contact your volunteer specialist for more information.

Teen Volunteer Summer Program

For all existing teen volunteers, or students who would like to become Hope volunteers (ages 14 - 22) in the Fort Myers, Lehigh, Cape Coral or Bonita areas, we are offering volunteer opportunities this summer.Ways to participate:

Team Celebration: A group of teen volunteers who will get together to make cards, and table and room decorations to be distributed to clients at the Health Center and patients in select nursing facilities. Projects:

4th of July Celebration: (Week of June 28) Make patriotic table decorations with Health Center clients for the Center and to be distributed along with flags to Hope patients in select nursing facilities.
Summer Is Here: (Week of July 19) Make summer table decorations with Health Center clients and distribute them to Hope patients in select nursing facilities.
Birthday Brigade: (Weeks of July 5, and August 2) Sign and distribute July and August Birthday cards for clients at the Health Center and for Hope patients at select nursing facilities.

Hope Crew: A group of teen volunteers who will go to Hope patients' homes to do yard work, simple home repairs, boxing and packing of unused items, etc. Half day and full day assignments as needed.

Hope A-Team: Student administrative volunteers assist various departments with computer work, scanning and filing of documents, binding handbooks, and assembling packets.

Hope Care Team: Teen volunteers provide visits, socialization, and personal attention for patients and clients in Hope Hospice, Hope Select Care, Hope Choices, and Partners in Care programs.

If interested, contact Lynnan Grissinger, at 239-489-9181.

New Volunteer Orientation

Please let your friends and family know about the upcoming volunteer orientation schedule. We continue to need patient support and transportation volunteers in all Hope service areas. Classes are as follows:

Bonita Springs Community Room
Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Cape Coral Community Room
Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Lakeland Conference Room
Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Hope Chest Orientation
Thursday, July 15, 2010

HealthPark Community Room
Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Hope Chest Orientation
Thursday, August 12, 2010

Lehigh Acres Community Room
Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Hope Chest Orientation
Thursday, September 02, 2010

Cape Coral Community Room
Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Lakeland Conference Room
Saturday, September 18, 2010

Hope Chest Orientation
Thursday, October 07, 2010

HealthPark Community Room
Saturday, October 16, 2010

Lehigh Acres Community Room
Wednesday, October 20, 2010

If you know someone who is interested in volunteering, please have them contact Joe Pardi or visit http://www.hopehcs.org/volunteer to complete a volunteer application.

Pet Lovers? PAWS for Hope Class Offered

pets This summer we will offer our pet visitation volunteers in the Fort Myers area the opportunity to become pet evaluators for the Paws for Hope program.

To participate in this one hour class, you must have been a Hope pet volunteer for at least a year, and enjoy working with other people and their pets to help expand our PAWS Program.

The class will be taught by Anita Simmons and will take place at the Ft. Myers office on Wednesday, August 11 from 10:00 - 11:00 AM. For details, or to sign up, contact Joe Pardi at 239-489-9180.

Volunteer Department News