Volunteer Caregivers

I’m getting ready to give a talk to a group of people who are volunteer caregivers. The organization is CareLinks and they serve Clifton Park and Saratoga County in upstate New York. The volunteers help their sick or older neighbors by giving rides, cooking, shopping and doing errands. The simple, basic, almost invisible stuff of daily life that can bring a family caregiver to their knees when they can’t do it.

I spent so many years caring for ill and dying family members that I know the gift of a friend who will grocery shop or drive to a doctor’s appointment or the one that saved my butt years ago when I was caring for two sick brothers: pick up my dry cleaning. Yes, it was that simple and singular but it saved my sanity—and probably my job.

There are now many organizations across the county that recruit, train and assign volunteer caregivers. Many come under the umbrella of “Faith in Action” groups. They are not necessarily people who are active church goers or parts of a traditional faith community but they live faith in humanity and they demonstrate their faith by giving back. In our Greater Capital Region in New York, CareLinks and Community Caregivers are two organizations that do a fabulous job of making the caregiving experience a great one for the volunteer and the family on the receiving end.

Service is gratitude in action. I am so grateful.

Volunteer Opportunities with the American Cancer Society Hope Club

I saw the staff team from The American Cancer Society Hope Club today and learned about their volunteer opportunities. I’ve done some of these activities as a volunteer in the past and I know how satisfying and manageable they are--and how appreciated. Check it out:

Drivers for Road to Recovery: give someone a ride to treatment—round trip or one way. Surprisingly easy to do—even if you are working or have kids.

Coordinator for Road to Recovery Drivers: You will be blown away by the people you meet and talk about having gratitude in your day! Yes!

Patient Navigation: If you have been through CancerLand you can help someone else. Share the wisdom; translate the jargon; teach a caregiver how to cope; turn victim into advocate. You already know so much.

For more information call The ACS Hope Club at 518-782-9833

Basket Ball with Balls

Tuesday night we went to the Basket Ball—the regional event for Coaches vs. Cancer—a fundraiser by the American Cancer Society. Pure brilliance in combining sports, sports fans, men, booze, cheerleaders, sports memorabilia and a podium of tear-filled stories and sports metaphors.

It was moving and the stories of loss and endurance were powerful. Perhaps what moved me the most was the clear evidence of service: by cancer volunteers and coaches—people with plenty busy schedules who gave even more to help this cause.

I realized that this is what I respect most of all—regardless of the cause or the issue—people who will step up, raise their hand, open their calendar—even more than their checkbook—and volunteer for what they believe in.