Menu

Blog posts : "Faces of Hospice"

Volunteer Spotlight: Kathy Morrison

Please welcome Kathy Morrison.

When Kathy first inquired with the Hospice Services Coordinator about volunteering for AVHS, she felt a sense of deep commitment, compassion, and warmth. 

Kathy is an outgoing person and loves biking, pickleball, hiking and foraging for ingredients to make plant…

Read more

Board Member Spotlight: Maureen Mackenzie

I have always taken pride in being born and raised in Port Alberni. I have a long family history in this community and a vested interest in the betterment of our community. I see the positive work the Alberni Valley Hospice Society has brought to this community. The support and care that is given to…

Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Shalyn Przada

Please welcome Shalyn Przada!

Shalyn joined the Alberni Valley Hospice Society in April of this year. She was amazed by her first impression of the organization in how many ways the hospice helps support the community. It's so much more than only Ty Watson House. 

For Shalyn, it is just norma…

Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Lu Xu

This month, we would like to introduce another special AVHS volunteer.
Please meet Lu, who is coming to Ty Watson house on Tuesdays and helps out at community events if needed.

Lu has a warm and caring heart, and helping others facing life-ending illnesses is just something she loves to do.

Lu…

Read more

Board Member Spotlight: Robyn Monrufet

I was born and raised in New Zealand and, in 1975 having graduated as a registered nurse after three and a half years of hospital-based training, I set out to see the world. I met my husband to be in Port Alberni, began working at West Coast General Hospital and the rest, as they say, is history.

I…

Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Pat Schellenberg

Pat joined AVHS in November of last year.

She was drawn to the Hospice because it feels welcoming, and everyone involved is willing to contribute and help those in need as a team.

For Pat, the family comes first, and many family gatherings occur throughout the year. She also loves to paint…

Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Yvonne Arentsen

The past few years have been difficult for so many of us, and our volunteer spotlight, Yvonne, asked herself, "what is my purpose, and what can I do to help others."

Yvonne's first volunteering experience came very young when assisting her mom at their local church. They would provide support by …

Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Elizabeth Greenberg

Elizabeth Greenberg began her journey with the AVHS in 2022.

She is a woman of many trades, including her many family titles. She is not only a daughter, mother, sister, auntie, and nana, but now also a Hospice volunteer.

Volunteering was always part of Elizabeth's life. When you meet her, you wil…

Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Robert Slade

Rob has always been involved in community work. He thinks that it was his parents who prompted him to start volunteering. They modelled volunteering as just a part of his life.

The BC Youth Parliament was one of the early forms, but certainly not the earliest. He had been involved in volunteer wo…

Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Miriam March

March/April 2022

 

I had the wonderful pleasure of sitting down for a nice chat with our next spotlight volunteer Miriam March.
  
“What’s important to me and fills my heart, is knowing that our Residents and their loved ones are being cared for and supported” 

Miriam started voluntee…

Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Katja Strube

AVHS is happy to announce Katja Strube as our first 2022 Volunteer Spotlight for January.  Katja joined our hospice team in September 2021 and began volunteering at Ty Watson House, and as of this past November began facilitating our weekly Walk & Talk Bereavement Group.  Katja will be adding to…

Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Leigh-Ann

We are excited to introduce a new volunteer team in this month's Volunteer Spotlight!

This team will bring Pet Therapy to Ty Watson House, and we couldn't be happier to introduce them. The Pet Therapy team is a volunteer named Leigh-Ann and her therapy dog Penny.

We got to sit down with Leigh-A…

Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Gwen Hayhurst

This month we are featuring longtime volunteer Gwen Hayhurst. We asked Gwen to tell us some fun things about herself, and she replied, "I have fabulous grandkids and kids I was missing due to COVID-19. I like to walk on the dyke, go camping, sew and crochet, and cross-country ski."

Gwen found abo…

Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Jane Thompson

Recently we had the chance to sit down with Jane Thompson and pick her brain about her experience volunteering with AVHS.

Jane is originally from Montreal and moved to BC in 2014. "My children have lived in BC since '96, and when my son had his first baby, I decided to move to the island. I live…

Read more

Father's Day Resources for the Grieving

Grief can be especially difficult during special days throughout the year, such as Father's Day.

We've collected some resources that may be of interest for those grieving their fathers or spouses on this holiday.

Click the article titles below to read more on each topic.

 

Surviving Father’s Da…

Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Jackie Bouchard

For this month's volunteer spotlight, we sat down with long-time volunteer Jacqueline Bouchard, Jackie for short. Jackie is a long-time Port Albernian and enjoys gardening, being outside, and doing what she can to make others smile and laugh. Jackie is quite funny and always brings a smile to the fa…

Read more

National Hospice Palliative Care Week 2021

The first full week of May each year marks National Hospice Palliative Care Week in Canada.

This is a time to celebrate and share the achievements of hospice palliative care throughout the nation, and provides a platform to look at shortcomings and create bridges for these gaps. It is also an oppo…

Read more

Volunteers Are Crucial

To cap off National Volunteer Week, our Volunteer Coordinator, Victoria Snow, wanted to share a message of thanks to our many dedicated volunteers.

The Alberni Valley Hospice Society encourages active participation from the Port Alberni community because we know it is the best way to achieve our …

Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Karen Steinicke

This week is National Volunteer Appreciation Week, and in honor of that, we are launching our newest volunteer recognition idea!

Each month we will be posting a Volunteer Spotlight, which consists of a volunteer interview to gain further insight into the lives of our volunteers and the impact vol…

Read more

National Volunteer Week 2021

The Value of One, The Power of Many is the theme for this year’s National Volunteer Week – April 18-24, 2021.  

This theme captures the awe-inspiring acts of kindness by individuals AND the magic that happens when we work together towards a common purpose.

The Alberni Valley Hospice Society…

Read more

20 blog posts