Volunteer of the Year: Dave Werton

-
By Dana Casadei, Angela Hospice Volunteer
When Dave Werton received the Volunteer of the Year award last April, saying he was surprised is an understatement.

Dave with a We Honor Veterans blanket.
"I had no idea, really," he said.

In fact he was tricked into going to the annual volunteer dinner, which he hadn't attended in years. He had been told there would be something for the We Honor Veterans program he's a part of. That didn't happen, and instead he got the night’s top award. And after speaking to Werton it's easy to see why.

"When I first met him I thought he worked here. I thought he was a social worker," laughed Syndie Best, Volunteer Services Manager. "But then I found out he was a volunteer. And that's the thing. He's so unassuming. There's nothing about him that would stand out and go, 'Ta-do, here I am.' He's just not that kind of person."

"I think that's part of the beauty about who he is," she continued. "That he's not showy and it's not about him. He's genuinely very humble and really concerned about the patients."

Dave, who is in the midst of his 20th year of volunteering, was one of Angela Hospice's first volunteers back in 1994. He joined after seeing a story on the front page of the Livonia Observer about the Care Center opening up.

You name it and Dave has probably done it. Bereavement, patient care, and spiritual care are just a few of the areas he's volunteered in. He was even in charge of flowers at one point, he mentioned with a laugh.

Dave has also been responsible for kick-starting programs, including many of the cooking programs.

Dave receiving the Volunteer of the Year award at
last April's annual volunteer dinner.
While he's taken on a leadership role in a variety of areas, Dave doesn't have a problem passing on the reins to newer volunteers.

"If there's something people like to do, I step back and let them take over," he said.

Now most of his focus is volunteering in home care -- his favorite. A large part of that is because Dave enjoys the one-on-one style of home care. And he is always up for taking on patients that have extra challenges.

His up-for-anything mentality has also led to him having a plethora of interesting patient stories. They range from a patient who taught him how to be a better bartender; to one of his first patients, who Dave would hide change in the couch cushions for. Oh, and there's the patient he almost lost in their bed. But that's a story told better in person. Same goes for the baklava story.

So what's made Dave stay all these years? That's easy. The patients.

"I don't really look at them as patients," he said. "They give as much back to me as I give to them."

"The people that get to know him and have him as a volunteer are very lucky," Syndie said. "I hope he sticks around for a long time."

Luckily for Syndie, and future Angela Hospice patients, Dave has no plans on leaving anytime soon.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Room for Brian

-
Image
   Angela Hospice's donor-supported Care Center     provided Brian with the care he needed -- and        brought his family peace of mind. The Angela Hospice Care Center has always been a community-driven labor of love. From its construction in the early 1990s; to its expansion a decade and a half later; and right through to the present, where day-to-day operations are supported by the generosity of donors and friends – the Care Center is a rare and valuable community resource made possible by Angela Hospice’s caring supporters. It’s also a godsend for families like the Wilson’s. When their son came to stay with them over Christmas last year, the brain tumor he had been determined to fight for nearly 11 years began to overcome him. At 30 years old, Brian was 6’2” and his disease had progressed to the point that he could no longer walk on his own. How would his parents take care of him in their home that was not wheelchair accessible? ...
Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Ingrid Lasley

-
Image
Name: Ingrid Lasley How long have you been a volunteer? I started volunteering about 2 ½ years ago. What areas do you work in/what sort of tasks do you do as a volunteer? I cover the receptionist desk for lunch hours, which includes telephone calls. I have covered Tree of Life shifts for the past 2 years and plan to volunteer again this season. I also have been involved in numerous mailings and last year’s Walk of Remembrance. What made you decide to become a volunteer? I stopped working a few years ago and decided I could use my spare time best by volunteering. I am enjoying every minute! Why Angela Hospice? Ingrid with fellow volunteer Geri Orlowski My mother passed away in 2012 in Buffalo, NY, and after witnessing the treatment my mother received at a hospice facility there, I knew I wanted to be part of such a kind and caring group. What is your favorite part about volunteering? I have enjoyed meeting so many people who have demonstrated so many ways one can g...
Read more

Detroit Catholic Central Moms Celebrate Hospice Workers During COVID-19

-
Image
A group of Detroit Catholic Central High School moms decided they wanted to do something special for our clinical staff, who have been working so hard in the midst of this stressful COVID-19 health crisis. The women coordinated with nurse Kelly Campbell, Home Care Clinical Supervisor for Angela Hospice, whose son recently graduated from Catholic Central. On Wednesday, the group set up 40 handmade signs outside our Care Center facility and along the driveway, to encourage and cheer our healthcare workers. They also tied big white ribbons around the trees to show support for front-line medical staff. Helen Balmforth, Angela Hospice Development and Special Events Manager, related that some staff members teared up when they saw what the Catholic Central moms had done. “I think, for some, it’s an emotional release to see that,” Helen explained. “I think it has a real impact on people.” The group also brought two large cases of toilet paper. Each roll is individually wrapped so staff...
Read more