We have missed our volunteers over the past six months, having to pause our volunteer services in March due to the pandemic, and are happy to begin safely welcoming them back to our sites.
Over the past week, volunteers have been helping patients and visitors in registration areas at our St. Catharines and Welland sites, as well as our Walker Family Cancer Centre in St. Catharines and Cataract Clinic in Welland.
This is in addition to those volunteering at our Welland Site Gift Shop, which reopened on August 31. We greatly appreciate the support of those who shop at the Gift Shop, as these proceeds go towards supporting patient care at Niagara Health.
We know our volunteers are excited to be back as well. Here is some of the feedback we've received so far:
- “I've been a volunteer at the St. Catharines Site since it opened seven years ago and, for me, it's all about giving back to my community." – Vivian Wiens
- “I know things are different now, with important safety policies and procedures in place, but I want to do my part in helping keep our community safe." – Colleen Catling
- “I find volunteering enjoyable and the best way to spend my time. I've missed being able to help at the hospital and seeing the people I volunteer with." – Rita DeMoel
Our volunteers are valuable members of the Niagara Health team, helping to ensure an extraordinary experience for patients, families and visitors.
“We are extremely thrilled to have our volunteers back with us. Our team now feels complete again," says Linda Kisch, Registration Clerk at our Welland Site. “Our volunteers in Ambulatory Registration in Welland go above and beyond in all they do. We missed their energy, enthusiasm and compassion. It is great to once again see their smiling faces."
As with everyone at Niagara Health sites, volunteers follow infection prevention and control measures, including passing screening before every shift, wearing a mask at all times, practising physical distancing and performing meticulous hand hygiene.
We look forward to gradually welcoming back more volunteers, while always keeping the health and safety of everyone at Niagara Health the top priority.
