To Vancouver’s volunteers: Thank you!
April 6 to 12, 2014 is National Volunteer Week in Canada, a week when volunteers across this country are recognized, celebrated and thanked for their invaluable contributions.
Every year across the Vancouver Community of Care, VCH volunteers support over 125 different services in acute, residential, and community settings. The ages and backgrounds of our volunteers are diverse, but they all share a common commitment to our patients, residents and clients.
For example, over the past year our volunteers:
- Visited, offered well-wishes, or provided emergency clothing to VGH patients 11,000 times;
- Welcomed families and assisted nurses at 1,700 child health clinic and parent infant drop-in sessions;
- Helped patients and family members in the Emergency Department 50,000 times;
- Shopped for 4,300 grocery orders at local Safeway stores for housebound clients;
- Assisted visitors to VGH and UBCH with information and way-finding 70,000 times;
- Shared 1,100 visits with isolated seniors and disabled adults to connect them in their communities.
On behalf of all the leadership team, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to our 1,800+ volunteers in the Vancouver CoC. I ask that all staff join me in recognizing the time, skills and dedication that volunteers have so generously offered. When you see a volunteer this week, please take a moment to thank them for all they do.
Sincerely,
Mary Ackenhusen
Chief Operating Officer, Vancouver