CLEAR LAKE RIVIERA ? One day Jean Russeff walked into Hospice Services of Lake County. They needed volunteers, so she donated her time.
More than 20 years later Russeff still volunteers by bagging items at the Hospice Thrift Shoppe in Lakeport. On Friday, Hospice staff honored her by giving her the lifetime achievement award.
“I believe in Hospice,” Russeff said.
She thinks Hospice provides an important service for the county, she said.
“All the years I”ve been there I have never heard one complaint,” Russeff said.
Russeff and about 80 other volunteers gathered at the Riviera Hills Restaurant in Clear Lake Riviera as Hospice employees thanked them for their work.
After nine years of service, Pat Reeder also received the lifetime achievement award. She works at the store as a cashier, helps hang up clothes and does anything that needs to be done, she said.
About 20 years ago a friend of Russeff, Bernice Niederost, said she had a surprise for the Hospice volunteer. That was shortly before Niederost died.
In Niederost”s will she donated $50,000 to Hospice, which went toward buying the store on South Main Street in Lakeport, said Janice Kropa, assistant manager of the Lakeport thrift store. The woman donated the money, in part, to honor Russeff”s work.
Other Hospice volunteers also received awards on Friday. They were Dana for administrative volunteer; Luis Guzman for junior volunteer; Marian Alexander, Priscilla Ritchie and Greg Scott for Lakeport thrift shop volunteers; Frances Driver for Clearlake thrift shop volunteer; and John Jennings for volunteer of the year.
Schmidt cried when she talked about Hospice and how it helped her when her husband was dying.
“For me Hospice is running on compassion, love and teamwork,” Schmidt said. “Life continues with Hospice, it doesn”t end.”
Hospice of Lake County has 112 active volunteers who work more than 17,700 hours a year, said Linda Laing, volunteer coordinator.
“I really believe in supporting people at the end of their lives,” Laing said.
She thinks people should be compassionately held as much as possible before they die, she said.
“We”ll all be there one day,” Laing said. “I can”t think of a better organization.”
Medicare provides the majority of Hospice funding but volunteers and sponsors come up with the rest, said Kevin Garvey, executive director of Hospice of Lake County.
“We rely on the generosity and contributions of the community to do what we do,” Garvey said.
Contact Katy Sweeny at ksweeny@record-bee.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
