One summer day, Shelley Murray, a volunteer in our kitchen, remembers the nurses asking if it would be possible to get any eggnog. One of the residents had requested it. Shelley quickly jumped on the internet for a recipe and began making a homemade batch of the Christmas drink. In no time, she served it up to the gentleman. It had been 40 years since he had tasted eggnog, and he relished the experience.
“That was special to be able to fulfill a request for someone who was nearing the end,” says Shelley.
Carpenter has a team of close to 50 volunteers dedicated to serving meals to residents. Shelley shared that family members often gather around “Temptation Island,” the centre table filled with snacks and baked goods, seeking company or a moment to release some stress or strong emotions.
“Food is a great equalizer,” says Shelley. “Food is also love. To be able to give a little bit of that to someone in their time of distress and sadness is satisfying on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level. I try to lighten the heavy load of every person in any way I can.”
Shelley is excited about the expansion and renovation plans for the hospice. In her view, “every community should have a hospice available to people who need it.”