Glenda K. helps bring the joy of music into the lives of clients at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre by playing the piano at church services.
She choose the Royal after her daughter had a positive experience completing her high school volunteering hours and let Glenda know they were looking for someone who could play the piano.
Since Glenda had already been considering doing volunteer work she thought she’d give the Royal a try because “People care very much here about the clients. This really is the place to come to get help.”
Lucky for the Volunteer Association, she also plays the organ, so the residents of Royal Ottawa Place, a long-term care centre, are also able to enjoy her music.
Glenda also volunteers as an information assistant in the Patient and Family Resource Centre, where she helps people with the computer, photocopying as well as signing out books and videos.
One of her most rewarding volunteer experiences was when a ParaTranspo driver accidentally dropped off a blind client at the wrong door. Because Glenda recognized the client from her volunteer work, she was able to approach the client and talk to her until the driver came back after checking where he was supposed to take her.
“I felt better because I was able to reassure her that she would get to the right place,” says Glenda.
“One of the benefits of volunteering here is that I get to play music twice a week,” says Glenda, who has been helping out for the last year and a half.
“The residents are very appreciative and enjoy singing along. When I leave each shift I’m always humming!”