Long-term care home expresses its appreciation for volunteers
Meadow Park brings New York City experience to Chatham
Friday November 28, 2008 -- Natalie Miller
With volunteers being such a valued part of long-term care, a Meadow Park Chatham employee thought they deserved a trip to New York City to express the home's appreciation.

While taking more than 50 people to the Big Apple would break the bank, the home brought a taste of the city that never sleeps to Chatham instead.

Complete with a woman dressed as the Statue of Liberty, a faux Central Park setting for photographs, and apples and NYC trivia cards adorning the tables, creativity was a big element behind making the event such a success.

"It was a good night," says Dorothy Parker, a volunteer who attended the event earlier this fall.

"The meal was great and the friendship was great — I really enjoyed it," says Parker, who is president of the Meadow Park Auxiliary and also covers the phones two mornings a week at the 97-bed long-term care home owned by Jarlette Health Services.

She says Meadow Park's theme made for "a fun night."

Lydia Swant, co-ordinator of volunteers and family services at Meadow Park Chatham, says the home holds a big event annually to thank its volunteers.

"We appreciate our volunteers all of the time," says Swant.

"We do a lot of things throughout the year," she says, noting, she was striving for something unique for this year's main event.

Surfing the Internet, she stumbled across the idea for a New York-themed dinner. When she approached the home's administrator about it, not only was Anne-Marie Rumble on board, Rumble also knew of a woman who dressed up as the Statue of Liberty.

The Statue of Liberty character was a hit and she was so realistic, people weren't sure if she was a statue or a live person, Swant notes. The fact that the invite promised a night in NYC, grabbed their attention too, Swant adds.

"Over 50 volunteers were in attendance for the event to celebrate their achievements and to enjoy a meal and camaraderie with fellow long-term care volunteers."

Held at a local hall, participants were treated to a catered meal complete with New York-style cheesecake. With Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin music playing, Meadow Park staff offered to take volunteers' photographs with 'Lady Liberty' or in the 'Central Park' setting, which the home created using faux greenery, a street lamp, a bench and mums.

Meadow Park Chatham has close to 150 volunteers when it considers everyone who comes through the home's doors in a given year.

Swant says she invited one to two people from each of the volunteer groups. People lend their time to the home in a variety of capacities including through the provision of pastoral care and services, live entertainment, friendly visiting and palliative care support.

To learn more about Meadow Park Chatham or volunteering, visit the
website.

If you have feedback on this article, e-mail natalie(at)axiomnews.ca or call the newsroom at 800-294-0051.