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A core value at Bethesda Home
is that our residents feel a sense of belonging,
not just here but within the community at large.
The Resident Life page details how our residents
continue to give back by offering hundreds of
hours of volunteer work in support of local organizations.
We are also fortunate that the
local community supports Bethesda Home. Volunteers
contribute their time, talents and friendship
in a number of ways that deeply impact and enhance
the Bethesda family. Their hours of dedication
play a vital role in the success of our Life Enrichment
Program. Here are some examples:
Individuals
Committed volunteers lead art therapy classes,
play the accordion, conduct arts and crafts classes,
organize parties, accompany residents on outings,
and offer a listening ear.
Youth
Sixteen 4th-graders at St. Williams School are
pen pals with 16 of our residents. Students from
Grace Lutheran School, Locke Elementary, and Our
Savior Lutheran School perform band and choir
concerts and Christmas programs at Bethesda Home.
Volunteers from St. Cyprian School visit weekly
to offer refreshments to our residents and staff;
teachers there provide donations for the gift
shop. Steinmetz High School provides volunteers
who make seasonal posters, puzzles and cards.
Churches
The priest at St. Williams offers mass at Bethesda
Home once a week, while volunteers lead rosary
and worship services. Minnekirken (Norwegian Lutheran
Church) invites residents to join them for a monthly
lunch and program. United in Faith Lutheran Church
also hosts our residents at their events, and
provide Santa and elves for the Bethesda Christmas
party. Grace Lutheran Church displays our residents’
artwork twice a year for a month each time, and
also hosts two artists’ receptions in between
their Sunday services.
Organizations
Oak-Leyden Developmental Services brings participants
to our campus for combined programming once a
week. The Christmas Cheer Foundation provides
resident Christmas presents and Mother’s
Day gift bags each year. The Night Ministry and
Leukemia/Lymphoma Society recognize our residents’
volunteer efforts in their newsletters.
What You Can Do
If you are interested in becoming a Bethesda volunteer,
or having your group volunteer at Bethesda, please
contact our Director of Resident Life and Community
Integration, Ruth Werstler, at (773) 836-3254.
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