Once You Volunteer, You'll Keep Coming Back

“It’s like when you feed a stray cat, and they follow you.”

That’s how volunteer Norman Bolden of St. Louis, MO describes learning about Crossroads Hospice. He knew Volunteer Manager Elizabeth Nelson through another organization, and when she accepted her position at Crossroads, Norman decided to check it out, too.

“It was the best thing I could have done,“ he says.

“Every visit, you know you make people feel good. Even if they can’t speak, just a touch on the hand lets them know they are loved…and I can’t stop loving people!”

Norman has had many memorable interactions with the patients he visits.

“My very first assignment used to keep me laughing through the whole visit. He always kept it light,” Norman shares.

“Another patient is a living history lesson. She’s helped me become a better person by learning more about the past on the way to a better future.”

For Norman, one of the best parts of the volunteer experience is the office interaction.

He says, “Everyone on the staff is willing to share and give themselves. They go the extra mile to make others feel better…it’s infectious! Just being in the office is an exhilarating experience – all the friendliness and humility.”

Norman finds something new to learn from the staff everytime he visits the office. “They teach you how to serve by how they carry themselves. It’s nothing but love, and I feel like part of the family,” he explains.

When it comes to his hospice volunteer experience, Norman concludes, “I received more than I bargained for – all because I was willing to give the gift that God gave me: time.”

Do you have time you can spend with a hospice patient? Please call us at 888-564-3405 or visit our Volunteer Application to learn more about how you can help hospice patients and their families.

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