Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) recently started to welcome back volunteers after two and a half year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Volunteers are once again helping in all areas of GBGH, much to the delight of hospital staff. Prior to the pandemic, GBGH had more than 100 volunteers regularly contributing throughout the hospital.
“Our entire team is incredibly happy to see our volunteers back in the hospital,” GBGH president and CEO Matthew Lawson said in a release.
“The volunteers are such an important part of our team - from helping on patient care units, to guiding visitors and more. We have really missed them throughout the pandemic as they are an essential part of our team at GBGH.”
As they are such an essential part of the GBGH team, the hospital is also looking to recruit more volunteers. There are currently needs in most areas of the hospital for volunteers including: Captains Café (coffee bar), the gift shop, information desk, emergency department, ambulatory care and recreation therapy.
There are also opportunities with the friendly visitors' program that see volunteers visiting patients, chatting and helping with small tasks as well as virtual opportunities such as making cards, being a virtual pen pal and other at-home tasks for those who may not be comfortable coming into the hospital to volunteer.
“Volunteers are an integral part of our team at GBGH and we really missed their presence and positive energy during the pandemic,” volunteer resources manager Kimberly Sutherland.
“Unfortunately, not all volunteers who regularly helped GBGH and its patients pre-pandemic were able to return. We are actively seeking more volunteers as they greatly improve the patient experience and greatly help our staff in several ways. Volunteering at your local hospital is an amazing way to give back to your community.”
If you are interested in volunteering at GBGH, please visit the website to learn more about how to apply or call (705) 526-1300 ext. 5374.
