They’re Irreplaceable
What Are The Odds?
What are the odds? Karen’s husband fell ill and needed emergency surgery in her hometown at the exact time her mother was scheduled for major cancer surgery in Winston Salem.
“My life was completely turned upside down. There were days when I wasn’t sure I could keep going.”
Thanks to the wonderful people at the Family House and the volunteers, they made it through.
“I cannot remember names, but I’ll never forget the kindness and hospitality that we were shown during our extended visit.”
What would Karen’s experience have been like without volunteers?
Without volunteers, the Family House would be a very different place when Karen arrived with her head spinning.
- Did she need a cup of coffee? Too bad, our morning volunteer didn’t make it in to brew a fresh pot!
- The space on the bed where volunteers leave caregiver welcome bags, with toiletries, snacks, and other waiting room items, would be empty.
- That fresh mulch that you see around the beds is still in big piles in the parking lot because we didn’t have anyone to help spread it around the trees and flowers.
- Families would be eating out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner without the donated breakfast items, the washed pots and pans to make a grilled cheese for lunch, and no meal groups to serve a hot homemade dinner.
- A nice bundle of sheets and fresh linens would be self-serve if we didn’t have volunteers who come in to wash, dry, and fold on a daily basis.
- The Welcome Desk staff wouldn’t seem so welcoming if they didn’t have volunteer back up for tours, phone calls, and other office assistance. They would have much less time to pay attention to each family.
A Day Without Volunteers
A day without volunteers could have cost Karen at least $75/night, if not more.
Without volunteers, she likely would have had to pay way more than $35/night to stay, because we would have to hire additional staff to keep the living, kitchen, and other community areas clean and tidy.
We would have to purchase more supplies and pay for more professional services.
We would lose the personal, compassionate feeling that guests feel when they walk through the door.
Or, even worse, Karen may have chosen to sleep at the hospital or drive back and forth 3 hours a day.
This post is in honor of The Wednesday Wonders and Roy Johnson, our 2017 Volunteers of the Year.