On a cold and blustery March 18, the members of the St. Andrews Auxiliary gathered in the warm and cozy atmosphere of the main dining room at St. Andrews Village Inn where the group was treated by the Village to a delicious meal including hot soup, a generous variety of sandwiches, a very colorful salad and a light and tasty dessert. The occasion was an annual brunch designed to break up the long winter season and foster camaraderie among the members of the auxiliary who were able to attend.

Auxiliary President Carole Zalucky opened the event with a welcome to the more than 50 people assembled and then introduced the group to Pat McMurray, Meridith Watts, JoAnne Demers, Debra Rush and Dee Wright, all of whom have recently become members of the auxiliary.

The program for the day included a short video and several speakers addressing two new volunteer endeavors now in place at the Gregory Wing.

Before the speakers began their talks, Connie Bright, Volunteer Coordinator for Lincoln County HealthCare (LCH), introduced a YouTube video produced by Scott Shott featuring a number of LCH volunteers talking about what inspires their work. You too can view the video by logging on to LCH’s Facebook page and following the prompts.

Steve Hurd, also a Volunteer Coordinator for LCH, then spoke about the current volunteer opportunities within the Gregory Wing. One can “adopt” a resident, “adopt” a patient, help organize bingo, help on pizza day, or simply be available to help people with mobility concerns move around the facility. If you are interested in volunteering in any of these capacities, call Jerie Phinney, Activities Director for the Village at 207-633-1848.

Other possibilities for volunteer assignments are only limited by the imagination. Holly Fulmer, a Gregory Wing volunteer who was already bringing joy to residents with her therapy dog, Lexi, did imagine a more fulfilling way to connect with residents who might not be able to fully communicate with staff or other visitors. Holly joined us as a presenter to explain her Life Stories Project. Holly now writes up into a one page story what she learns about the lives of the residents through conversations with them or with other family members. The story focuses on capturing the essence of the person rather than setting down all the facts of the person’s life. Once written and sanctioned by the family, the story is placed prominently in the patient’s room, so that all those who are visiting and caring for the individual will know more fully the person before them.

The Compassionate Companion Volunteer Program, the brain child of Connie Bright and Tracy Verney was next on the program. Tracy Verney, an LCH Hospice Volunteer and Lay Pastoral Visitor Education Coordinator spoke about the volunteer opportunities for Compassionate Care. Following a training course, volunteers accompany patients and their family members through the final days or hours before death, offering spiritual, emotional, and physical support. She described for the audience, quite poignantly, one such recent experience. Currently five persons have completed the training and have given 72 hours of support to three residents at the Gregory Wing. Future training sessions will be available for anyone interested in this opportunity. Contact LCH Volunteer Services at 207-563-4508 for more information.

Kathy Rayle, director of nursing at St. Andrews Village Inn, concluded the program by talking about how the Compassionate Care volunteers provide calm and comfort on the unit at an emotionally difficult juncture when staff and family members are saying a final “goodbye” to a patient who likely has been there for some time.

Kathy also thanked the auxiliary for the donation of $1,000 to purchase a Comfort Cart, designed to look like bedroom furniture, which can be wheeled into a room to offer quick access to items that can provide a bit of comfort to the patient. Items on the cart can include body lotions, comfy pajamas and nightgowns, washcloths and colorful bedding, music CDs, a small lamp, religious reading material, rosary beads, ministry shawls and even coloring books for children who might be visiting a loved one in their last hours. Anyone wishing to donate replacement items for the cart can call Nicole Peaslee, Gregory Wing, at 207-633-0920.

Many thanks are due to Ann Kelley, her committee and the staff at St. Andrews Village for the March Brunch event. As always, anyone interested in joining the auxiliary can find an application and more information at the Thrift Shop or by contacting De Amplo, Membership Chair at seawood98@aol.com.