News Photo by Mike Gonzalez Kristie Lukes, volunteer program coordinator of Hospice of Michigan, signs birthday cards to patients in her office on Tuesday. Lukes said that this is something volunteers usually do as a service to help patients.

ROGERS CITY — Hospice of Michigan is struggling to find companion volunteers to visit patients within Presque Isle County.

According to Kathy Lietaert, the statewide manager of volunteer services for Hospice of Michigan, many of the local volunteers are from the Alpena area and drive long distances to visit patients and the nonprofit organization is seeking volunteers who are from the same community as the patient.

She said that Hospice of Michigan is in need of one to three volunteers in each community for Posen, Rogers City, Presque Isle, and Millersburg.

Hospice of Michigan’s regional office is located in Alpena and most of its services are concentrated in that county, but Lietaert said that there is a high concentration of patients within Presque Isle County that need companion volunteers who are there to visit and talk with patients.

“Companionship volunteering can really look different depending on the person,” Lietaert said. “It might look like conversations with patients and family members, reading to patients, or even listening to music together. We do have musicians for patients, but it could be something as simple as playing something on your phone.”

Lietaert said that while there is a need for local members of the community to help, the Hospice of Michigan is not opposed to still getting help from volunteers within surrounding counties and locations.

She said that with smaller communities, there are always about one or two more volunteers they can use in different areas, but because of Presque Isle County’s higher concentration of patients, it’s become a higher priority to get more volunteers there.

“Right now, our community has a real need for hospice volunteers willing to visit local patients who are at the end of their life,” Lietaert said. “Hospice volunteers are an essential part of how we provide the highest quality care for our patients and their families. Companionship visits benefit those in our care, but our volunteers insist that they are the ones whose lives are changed. In return for simply visiting a neighbor, our volunteers walk away with a sense of pride and emotional fulfillment knowing they are helping their fellow community members through a vulnerable time.”

Volunteers do not need any prior experience to join but will need to complete an orientation which can be scheduled, according to Lietaert.

To get involved, visit hom.org or call Kathy Lietaert at 231-779-5409.

“If you’re considering hospice volunteering, please make the leap,” Lietaert said. “You will receive so much in return when you can help patients and families at end of life. If you’re compassionate and have a desire to help others, this is the volunteering job for you.”