When Mary Rossetti was a resident in the Special Care Unit at St. Ann’s Community, her daughter, Lucille Bearden, was grateful for the nurses and aids who treated her mother like family.
Today Lucille and her husband, John, volunteer at St. Ann’s Community to say thank you for the care and compassion they experienced during Mary’s stay: “My mom’s no longer here, but she is our reason for giving back,” Lucille said.
On Wednesday mornings, Lucille is busy at Café Rizzo or the gift shop, and John does data entry to update volunteer and donor information records. Their efforts help things run smoothly and contribute to the welcoming atmosphere of St. Ann’s Community.
“I see the same family members all the time,” Lucille explained. “There’s a woman who comes to see her husband in the Special Care Unit. I know how tough it is to feel like you have to come every day, so to feel welcomed helps a lot. We talk every week.”
Volunteering also gives Lucille the opportunity to reconnect with people: “It’s not uncommon for someone I knew from years ago to come in because their parents are residents now, and we’ll say to each other, ‘Oh my God, I have not seen you in years!’ It’s nice.”
Feeling needed and useful in their retirement years is important to the Beardens.
“We really enjoy the people and culture at St. Ann’s Community,” John added. “They treat us as part of their team, and we all work together for the wellbeing of the residents.”
“Everyone here went the extra mile for our family, so we are happy do it for them, too,” Lucille said. “We are simply continuing where we left off.”
The hours of service given to St. Ann’s Community by volunteers translates to over $2,000,000 annually.
For information on volunteering at St. Ann’s Community, contact Barbara Joyce at (585) 697-6523 or bjoyce@stannscommunity.com.