Volunteering in 2020, a Snapshot
Cross Keys Village has been a thriving organization, supported by hundreds of volunteers for many years. When coronavirus precautions were quickly put into effect this past winter, I had no idea how much was about to change in our department. For the first time, volunteers were not permitted to perform duties in Mission Point, Brookside, Harmony Café or Campus Inn. Services like the campus shuttle, or assisting with shopping trips were abruptly halted. I found myself working from home for two months, then moving into the Harmony Ridge building. In just a few weeks, momentous change affected our department’s function and structure.
One thing remained: the enthusiasm of our volunteers. Even before lockdown eased up, they started to serve in new ways, continuing their efforts throughout the height of restrictions. During the Red Phase, a large group of sewing volunteers made over 1,000 fabric facemasks, as well as walker bags and PPE gowns. Friendly Visiting volunteers made phone calls instead of visiting Mission Point and Personal Care residents. Mentor volunteers made check-in calls to their fellow neighbors. Knitting and crocheting volunteers made face mask extenders and continued to knit blankets, prayers shawls, and baby hats for us and other organizations. The greeting card volunteer group crafted hundreds of cards to brighten the days of team members and residents. The Friends Auxiliary worked behind the scenes to clear items from the gift shops, liquidating the inventory, and planning future fundraisers. It must be noted that the volunteers in those various groups performed their duties in isolation. For instance, the Cancelled Stamp volunteer group processed stamps from their own residences.
The eagerly anticipated Green Phase brought more volunteer opportunities back to campus. Meal delivery volunteers took the place of team members, delivering meals to residents unable to leave their home. Grounds volunteers got back in the fresh air, supporting our Grounds Department by mowing, weeding, and watering. Volunteers stuffed mailboxes with the weekly Village Voice newsletter and other mail. Some volunteers started to teach new and interesting Discovery courses to widely spaced smaller groups, all under strict precautions. Gardening volunteers created a system to safely pack and deliver their bounty to villagers. Many volunteer groups such as Village Council, Library Committee, Parkinson’s Group, Hospitality Committee, Village Chimers and Woodshop Committee started meeting via Zoom or had the discipline to meet safely in person, screened, masked and socially distant.
The volunteer spirit and dedication for this ministry will continue through and beyond these challenging times. I am proud to lead this incredible group of individuals and look forward to days of even more volunteer interactions to come!
Cindy A. Boyer, Manager of Volunteer Services