The Goderich Signal-Star, 1975-04-24, Page 9, �sr n+r"fix' "•"
31 T)e c ._. 6 5-4
Public Librb.. y-
52 Montreal St.,
Goderich, Ont. NM 2G4
Kim Jeffery
Bernadine Van-Rooy
See need to Volunteers w
expand program Cpr�really
"We're here because we
care„"
That's what Elaine Smith, a
volunteer worker at Goderich
Psychiatric Hospital said last
);week. And her sentiments were,
bbhoed by a number of other
volunteers who had gathered to
;discuss the great need for
Continuing and expanding the
.._ voolunteer program; ;.
"It's a fulfilment for me. I
gain a lot of satisfaction from
it," said Mrs. Grace Patterson.
"They say it takes one-
quarter of one's life to grow up
and three-quarters of it to grow
old," Mrs. Patterson smiled. "I
have more time now. Volunteer
work fills a need for me. I'm
thankful I'm able to do this kind
of thing."
Mrs: Jean Papernick said,"It.
was something 'I thought I
should 'do, I'm certainly in-
terested. I've always been
interested in hospital workand
patients- And I realize I may
secretary; Mrs. Jean Paper-
nicFs and M"rs. Anne Redmond
are purchasing agents; and
Mrs. Elaine Smith and Mrs.
Violet Bridle are treasurers.
The committee does hire two
patients five mornings a week
to assist with the counter sales.
These people are generally
from, the business world who
just need the opportunity to test
their self-confidence in a,
business -like situation again.
The canteen presently sells
.soft drinks and coffee, light
snacks, cigarettes, some
flowers, • and many . sundry
items. But plans are to expand
the inventory of the little shop
to include more ° merchandise
including more gift articles. A
canteen cart has been talked
about to serve those patients
who can't get to the canteen
quarters.
• All proceeds from the cen-
teen go directly towards the
benefits of patientsat
make bingo games possible for
the patients at GPH : once a
week.
The Christian Reformed
Church fron Clinton presents an
evening of entertainment
"every now and then" and the
women's organization . from
that church bring- a group of
children in once a month to
sing, have tea withithe patients
and spend some time visiting.
Mary Lynn Telford, a
Scottish dancing teacher from
Goderich has begun a dance
therapy group one,,morning a
week. Mrs. Telford also takes
her students to the hospital one
evening per month to pit on a
dancing program for patients.
Four other entertainment
groups come in on a non-
scheduled basis.
Gord Harrison an employee
at GPH, is an active, volunteer,
too, giving his time to musical
groups in which patients at the
hospital can either participate
',. need help myself someday so I GPH, Through the years, in or take pleasure from.
%. - __ cant n move. baste ur se ....,... .But o much more could be
�'�' �ran�"o�i��lrr-i'y"'iirn�,'vvin'le I~._. .., y-.. ,p ,�..�- s
„ } 'furniture, accomp tshed and accord'i'ng to
? ,....,_—gifts,-
.
fiims� f,,..,.
Jan Green is only- 21 oyear's 2�Christmas — gifts; �M Wheeler it is--�jt st" ' a
a viewing by patients, dining out matter of bringing ideas and
of privileges for patients,
�rfngs to ..magazine and newspaper
got in- subscriptions, camping op -
..e volunteer portunities ' for patients (one
PH through theyear 80 patients took advantage.
rd. girls' group in of a camping outing near
she had membership at Bayfield), the hospital picnic
Sharon.,Whitely
Students
from five
Wanda Plaetzer
to select queen
contestants
The GDCI student body just
doesn't seem to ger a break.
Well at least not, when it somes
to selecting tfie school queen.
This year five, lovely ladies
'are vying for the honor and the
decision will certainly not be,as
cut and dried as 'will that be
cash or chargex'. It could drive
a man insane.
This year's five contestants,
chosen from a bevy of beauties,
are Kim Jeffery, Bernadine
Van Rooy, Gale Johnston,
Sharon Whitely and Wanda
Plaetzer.
Miss Jeffery, 18, is a Grade 13
student at GDCI who will enter
into the nursing program at,
Woodstock General Hospital in
the fall, She is the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Jeffery of
230 Bennett St. in Goderich.
Miss Van Rooy, also a Grade
13 student, is the daughter of
Mr. and. Mrs. John Van Rood of
RR 3k, Goderich. In the fall she
will enter the mental retar-
dation counselling course at
Fanshawe Community College
in London.
Miss Johnston, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Morley Johnston
of RR 2', Auburn is also an
„ year-old Grade 13, student
GDCI Gale
general arts
intends to study
in September at
either Waterloo
University.
or Western
Gale Johnston
Miss Whitely, 18, is a Grade
13 student who will persue her
•
education, in the general arts
program at University of
Western Ontario.._in, London in
September. Sharon is the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.G.
Whitely of RR 5, Goderich.
Miss Plaetzer, 19, also a
Grade 13 student, has enrolled
in the dental assistant program
at Fanshawe Community
Colge in London. Wanda is the
daughter "of Mr. and Mrs.
Lawrence Plaetzer of RR 1,
Auburn.
The five candidates for queen
were chosen by their
graduating counterparts of
Grades 12 and 13. The queen
will •be named at the At Home
formal 'on April 25. The student
body, will make the selection by
ballot this week and the queen
will be crowned at midnight on
the tiered throne in the Nile
Kingdom.
old, but she says she works
volunteer at GPH beca
the "Happiness it
others". Jan
volved in.
program a
Range
whi
rte time. When she left supplies, bus trips for patients,
, Rangers, she just' continued on and for the children - bicycles,
at GPH'.. camping supplies and dozens of
"I like to see patients wave other items to make a hospital
and smile at me when I walk sojourn as homelike as possible
in," explained Mrs. Jean for these youngsters. `
Harrison. She said she gets a But besides making money
real lift from seeing the for such important extras, the
patients' faces light up when a canteen offers therapy for hos ital. The volunteer friend
volunteer. worker takes the patients. It gets them into a ,Card players are required to p
Rinne to'be interested, social' atmosphere where they makeup a foursome for bridge and companion' would help that
Vat naive—get. to,Lnow.,.tJ eraa, . zneej not onl otherpatients hut, ,or euchre. One patient at the person readjust in the com-
y d F nr tai locate-Latiad"' 'Suet = u
volunteers and visitors as we1�l`; hospital w�r'ould�enlay a•gee"of '�' � p
people together
patients already garden, but
they need a lig1e 'help ' and
°neas-surance'. We need both
gardeners and donations for
gardens."
Tour guides and hostesses
are needed at GPH,
Also needed are• young
volunteers - young men and
women, boys and girls who
would help with children's
hiking, camping and canoeing
outings.
Spectator sports events .
would be welcomed. The local
soccer club, for instance, will
be holding practices at the
.hospital and patients will. get.
.enjoyment from watching these
games. Tennis, golf, baseball
and football are other possible
spectator sports.
Volunteers are needed to play.
tennis, golf and lawn bowling
with the patients weekends and
evenings. '
Help is needed in the
evenings for organized sports
involving patients.
"Patients are kept pretty
.busy through the day. five days
Mrs. -Whee e pointed .. .
out. "Volunteers are especially
welcome, on weekends and in -
What's needed?, the evenings.,
People are needed to simply Volunteers are, needed to
sit down and visit with patients. provide instruction in the use of
Some wards at the hospital facilities in the community
have facilities where patients such as the library, the parks,
can • make, slice and bake the beaches, clubs, etc.
cookies or prepared sweet rolls More volunteers are needed
for guests (guests will supply who would assist patients in
the goodies) along with a cup of their return to the community
tea or coffee: by means of pre -discharge
Mrs. Wheeler points out that visits. When the patients and
in this way, , patients can do • the volunteer gets to know each
things for other people, an ' other, therelationship would be
important need in most carried over to the time when •
everyone's lifethe patient , would leave
and can call them by name, it
really makes them happy,"
said Mrs. Smith."In general,
it's simply ,people caring about
other people."
Mrs. Smith finds volunteer
work at GPH "stimulating and
rewarding".
"You get hooked on it,"
added Mrs. Smith.
Mrs. Anne Redmond, the
veteran -volunteer worker at
GPH, listened and smiled
happily. She's been working results of their work.
with mental health since 1934
and before that, was a wartime
hospital volunteer.
. "It's been my whole tife,"
she stated. "Caring.",
it provides a situation similar checkers •if a checker -playing housing, find 2 fob, use. social
to ones they'll encounter when volunteer could be located.
service' available in the coml.-
they leaye the hospital; it People are needed to,take munity,' and just generally
encourages them to be self- patients from a drive in the provide,reassurance:
sufficient about such things as country on a beautiful Sunday; This Case Aide Program
making purchases and paying ' or to a movie or concert; or to usually takes three 'months ,
for them; and -generally., it is a the hairdresser's every once in priorto discharge and six
welcome daily ' break from, a while; or -even on a shopping 'months following discharge
hospital routine. trip to the city. Such outings are from hospital.
As far as the canteen ' therapeutic for patients who . STILL NOT ALL
volunteers are concerned, very often need this kind of
But this still may not all
be all
these are the' really important activity to get back . into the that volunteers can do at beGPH,.
swing of living away from the Mrs. Wheeler says. She's
• hospital, anxious to hear from anyone in -
THAT'S FAR FROM ALL the community who has a
'Cars and drivers are always special skill or ,a special . in-
But,as vital as the canteen is, in demand for out-patients. 'terest.
it is far from all that GPH One ; of "Mrs. Wheeler's people 'like this who really
volunteers do. , greatest hopes is for the people want to be of assistance at GPH
Mrs. Pat Wheeler, co-
cs to begin "hortitherapy" at the will be warmly received by
ordinator of volunteer services hospital. Volunteer gardeners Mrs. Wheeler. g '
at GPH, is retained by the are ,needed to help patients "They can be
hospital to find people within learn about taking care of Wheeler, stresses.
the community who are suited "plants - both indoors and out=
to volunteer work acid eager to doors. Would-be volunteers should
be of help. not hesitate to call Mrs.
Most volunteers aimto give "Maybe eventually we could Wheeler for an interview. Folks
about two hours per week to the progress to a greenhouse, who have a love for humanity
hospital. People of all interests where patients could learn a will soon discover what so
and all capabilities are needed, • trade and 'in addition, provide many volunteers before them
Right now, :for instance, the hospital with fresh hot- have learned...when you give of
volunteers from the Lions Club, house vegetables," Mrs. yourself, you ..often receive
_Kinsmen Club and Legion Wheeler says. "Some of our more than you give.
CANTEEN CAPER
All of these women help out in ,
the canteen at GPH, •Con -
P veniently located just off the
entrance corridor, the canteen
is a meeting place for patients,
staff and visitors. '
It is staffed mainly by
volunteers seven days a week.
Mrs: Grace Patterson is
president ' of the committee;
Mrs. Thelma ' Snell is the
It certainly won't be an easy
decision but judging by the
choices available, the student
body can't lose.
It certainly won't be an easy
deci ion but judging by the
choices • available,, the student
body can't lose.
Volunteers at Goderich Psychiatric Hospital are people who
care about people. Here volunteers from: -the canteen discuss a
variety gift item which will likely be offered for sale soon.
From the left,are Mrs. Anne Redmond, Mrs. Jean Papernick;
Mrs. brace Patterson; Mrs. Jean Cook, Jan Green, Mrs: Elaine
Smith, Mrs. Joy Harrison and Mr's. Pat Wheeler, volunteer
services co-ordinator at GPH. (staff photo)