POTSDAM – As a new training for volunteers is about to begin, Hospice and Palliative Care of St. Lawrence Valley wants people to know about the satisfaction that dedicated volunteers can derive from their service.

For instance, each Wednesday beginning with the first blooms of crocuses in the spring through late October, Mary-Ann Cateforis and her husband, Vasily, make a special delivery to the Hospice Center in Potsdam.

The weekly flower deliveries are a well-coordinated effort involving many Hospice volunteers

“From the Hospice Center, another group of volunteers distribute the flowers in the homes of patients,” said Volunteer Coordinator for Hospice Jennifer Brailsford.

“Currently, there is a need to train new direct patient volunteers,” Brailsford said “The families requesting the services of Hospice volunteers has significantly increased, which is a good thing. This leaves us with a need to have more volunteers trained to go into the home,” she said.

The role of volunteers can include many different activities and duties based specifically on the needs of the patient and family. Volunteers are carefully paired with patients and families by the volunteer coordinator. They may visit with the patient while the caregiver gets much needed rest, may read a book or newspaper to the patient to keep them up to date on current events, or even do some grocery shopping.

Once they are trained and begin going into the home, ongoing support is provided by the volunteer coordinator. Training takes about 30 days and can be done at the convenience of the trainee.

The next course begins Sept. 29.

To learn more or to sign up, call Brailsford at Hospice at 265-3105.