To the Editor:

All volunteers are heroes. Whether they rush in to help during a crisis or quietly change lives one act of kindness at a time, they are the essence of community and are the best of who we are as humans.

During National Volunteer Month everyone who generously gives their time deserves public gratitude for their commitment to the needs of people who may never know their names and causes that would never survive without them. You all make our communities strong.

Along with the staff of Regional Hospice and Home Care of Western CT, I especially want to thank the dedicated volunteers who compassionately touch the lives of the families we serve.

When family support volunteers walk into the home of a dying patient they become their last new friend and provide respite for a caregiver who needs to catch a breath. Our chapter volunteers rally their communities to sponsor tables, donate raffle prizes and support each of the eight regional breakfasts they run throughout the year.

Healing Hearts facilitators help children and adults shed the heavy burdens of grief as they rebuild new meaning into their lives. Administrative volunteers use their professional office skills to make every donated dollar go further toward the care of our patients. Event committees bring new friends and vital funding as we launch the campaign for our state’s first family-centered residence.

And finally, our volunteer board of directors – your support, your compassion for our families and your leadership to make our residence a reality inspires us and offers a new vision of hope and peace of mind to families facing loss in our community.

These are our heroes —  the volunteers of Regional Hospice and Home Care. During the month of April, we celebrate them and all of the volunteer heroes among us. “To the world you may be one person, but to one person, you may be the world!”

Cynthia E. Roy, MS, LCSW, CHA

President & CEO

Regional Hospice and Home Care of Western CT

39 Old Ridgebury Road, Danbury   April 17, 2013