Volunteer Spotlight: Kyle Swider

Name: Kyle Swider

How long have you been a volunteer?

Seven years

What areas do you work in/what sort of tasks do you do?
Works at the reception desk in the Care Center, and has worked at events and on the Speakers Bureau.

What made you want to become a volunteer? 

My husband and I …we just loved this place. We lived across the street and thought it was a wonderful cause. He and I were really motivated to volunteer, so we did that. We were here for the ribbon cutting of the old Care Center. We continued to support them in any way we could.

Unfortunately my husband took ill and died of brain cancer here. Then I kind of stepped away before I could come back.

I decided I couldn’t do patient care but I could certainly help out in other areas. This is my gig. I’m OK to be the first face people see as they walk through.

Favorite part about volunteering?

Getting to greet the families. That’s my favorite part because you can say, “Hi, how are you doing?” You don’t ask questions, you just direct them or answer their questions. That’s what I enjoy.

I like the people here too. I’ve always said this, but the people that work here are an exceptional breed. I believe they all have a certain amount of wings. They do come with wings, you know?

What is one of your favorite stories or memories from volunteering?

Probably the radio commercial. That was the best because I knew from that point on it was time to volunteer, and it was coming full circle. It was really cool. I think being able to put that out into the community with Bob was huge.

(Bob Alexander, Angela Hospice’s Business Development Manager, asked her to come in and share her story about her husband who passed at Angela Hospice. Kyle then got to record a radio commercial about her Angela Hospice experience on WOMC that ran for about 10 months.)