Volunteer Spotlight: Sherry Szkotnicki

-
Name: Sherry Szkotnicki

How long have you been a volunteer?
11 years this spring.

What areas do you work in/what sort of tasks do you do as a volunteer?
Patient care in the Care Center.

What made you decide to become a volunteer?
We were taking care of my parents at home. My mother had dementia, didn’t really know what was going on. And my father was taking care of her, and he was pretty close behind her. At a time when my sister, brother, and I were on our last nerve we put my dad in hospice, almost 12 years ago, and the people that came [from Angela Hospice] gave us courage, and comfort, and just the strength to continue on. Two weeks later my dad passed away. Then about five months later my mom went into hospice in a nursing home, and she passed away in November of that same year.

It was such an overwhelming experience…having hospice, you just feel you want to do something to give something back, and that’s why I do it.

Sherry works in Wing A in the Angela Hospice Care Center.
What is your favorite part about volunteering?
Talking with the residents…and their perspective. I’m always amazed at their humility. Just very happy people. You don’t really find many angry people at that time. It’s just a blessing to be able to visit with them and talk with them.

What is one of your favorite stories or memories from volunteering?
My favorite story was a lady who was a patient in the old Care Center. I would do her hair and we would pray. She was a beautiful person and I remember her often.

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? The Angela Hospice Care Center prov
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