MOHAVE COUNTY, Ariz. – Volunteers are needed for Beacon of Hope Hospice in Kingman and Bullhead City, especially in Kingman and especially veterans. Shifts are 15 minutes for veterans up to four hours for other volunteers.
Veteran volunteers are needed to participate in Beacon of Hope’s “We Honor Veterans” 15-minute ceremony.
“After a veteran patient agrees to the ‘We Honor Veterans’ ceremony, then we do a pinning ceremony,” said Keith Survillas, Volunteer Coordinator for the Beacon of Hope’s Hospice program.
“We play the National Anthem and then their military branch anthem. We read poems and other things. We thank the patient for their service, pin the American flag on their shirts, then the volunteer veteran who is present salutes the patient and the patient salutes back,” Survillas continued.
“Beacon of Hope Hospice performs that pinning ceremony for veterans in their care who have been diagnosed with six months or less to live,” he said.
Most patients accept the ceremony, or want it, but some decline, he said, because they’re just so humble.
Survillas said helping the hospice patients is very rewarding.
“It’s non-medical, they just sit, have conversation, some light housekeeping, or make lunch.”
Other than veterans needed for the 15-minute ceremonies, other volunteers are needed for up to four hours or whatever amount of time they have to offer.
“We have office staff and an on-call nurse 24 hours a day, so whatever time they have available is needed,”
Survillas said, “I’m very grateful for the volunteers we already have. We have wonderful workers, very dedicated, but we’re looking for others who want to give back to their community too. I don’t want to burn out the ones we already have.”
Hospice provides end of life services 24/7, Survillas said, so Beacon of Hope Hospice needs a lot of volunteers in both Kingman and Bullhead City.
To volunteer or for more information, call Keith Survillas at 928-444-8122.
