Hospice recognises charity shop volunteers
Stepping Stone Hospice & Care Services sheds light on their unsung trailblazers who, behind the scenes, help their charity shop thrive.
Life is full of choices, and one of the most powerful choices we can make is to give back to our community.
Esmé van der Westhuizen, Lynette Scheepers, Leonie Bain and Pinky Ngobeni have one thing in common – compassion and a willingness to serve.
They are some of the many volunteers who give their time to the Stepping Stone Hospice & Care Services.
These volunteers help the five-star-rated NPO, a community-driven organisation, to continue meeting their patients’ physical, psychosocial, spiritual and social needs from diagnosis to the end of life.
This group helps to categorise and organise books sold at an affordable price. They have become an integral part of the charity shop team.
Their dedication and hard work have not gone unnoticed. Like many volunteers, they give their time and energy for different reasons, and the organisation will forever be grateful for their contributions.
Esmé said, “I have lived in Alberton all my life. I have dropped in at the store many times. When I realised the book section needed help, I volunteered my time to sort out the books. It has been a blessing because I get to see people and connect with them. Through all of that, I can assist the Hospice. This work gives me much satisfaction.”
Lynette, a volunteer for at least three months, said, “My mom was in the Hospice, and I have a soft spot for the organisation because they treated her so well. Again, this is a way of serving.”
According to Pinky, who also volunteers at the store at least twice weekly, it fulfils her, knowing the time is for a good cause.
Leonie said because life had been good to her, she was giving back through her volunteer work. She said something in common among them was their willingness to sacrifice time for the charity shop.
Stepping Stone remains committed to providing care and support, specifically palliative care, to people diagnosed with a life-threatening illness through their home-based care and in-patient unit services.
All volunteers undergo a standard orientation process and remain supported and encouraged.
Remember that volunteering can involve a broad range of tasks, so a willingness to get stuck in and adapt to what needs doing is vital.
If you wish to become a volunteer, contact the Hospice on 010 442 5059 or info@steppingstoneHospice.co.za
