NEWTON, N.C. - Carolina Caring is seeking caring, compassionate volunteers to offer loving support to patients and families and will offer free training on Saturday, February 18, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Training will be held at the nonprofit’s main campus, located at 3975 Robinson Road in Newton, N.C. Lunch will be provided.

 There are a variety of ways to serve, including making friendly visits or phone calls to patients, helping caregivers by providing short respite breaks, or greeting patients and families at the Catawba Valley Hospice House in Newton, N.C.

 “Volunteering has been such a humbling and rewarding experience,” says Yvonne Osborne, a Carolina Caring volunteer for more than 19 years. “I enjoy working at the reception desk, welcoming visitors and visiting with patients. Volunteering allows me to give back during such a fragile time in our patients’ lives.”

 Greeter volunteers are the first face a guest sees as they enter the organization’s Hospice House. They greet guests, help them locate patients’ rooms and offer support for a variety of needs while their loved one is being cared for at the facility.

There are also opportunities for patient support volunteers to provide companionship to patients and families in a patient’s home, assisted living center or wherever patients call home. They serve as caring friends, providing companionship and a supportive presence. They also share activities with patients, like playing games, listening to music or reading aloud.

All volunteer opportunities offer flexible schedules and the endless rewards of bringing joy and friendship to others. To register for the February volunteer training session or for more information, contact the Volunteer Services Department at 828.466.0466 or send an email to [email protected]. Volunteers must have a COVID-19 vaccine to participate at this time. Deadline to register is Friday, February 3.

Carolina Caring, founded in 1979, is an independent, community-based, nonprofit healthcare provider. It specializes in programs that offer relief from chronic conditions, serious illnesses, and the challenges they bring, including palliative medicine and hospice care for all ages, primary care and grief counseling. Currently, Carolina Caring serves 12 counties across western North Carolina and the Charlotte Region. For more information about Carolina Caring, please call 828.466.0466 or visit www.CarolinaCaring.org.