Olson Recognized as HIGH FIVE Award Winner
Hospice Volunteer Graham Olson from Ascension At Home was honored with the fourth quarter HIGH FIVE Award. In order to be nominated you have to meet consistently the following: You must apply exceptional interpersonal skills with patients, families, peers, or colleagues. You must demonstrate mutual trust, respect and emotional support to all, you must make a significant difference and create a sense of community, generate enthusiasm and energy and finally you must listen not only with your ears, but also with your heart. HIGH FIVE Award recipients are celebrated for their continuous support of our mission, role-model behavior and compassionate presence in the work place.
The HIGH FIVE award was developed to recognize associates from across all of our departments. HIGH FIVE recipients are honored at a department celebration that includes a traveling banner, a sensory reminder (chocolate chip cookies) intended to remind recipients of how special their gifts are each time they experience the smell of chocolate chip cookies. In addition, recipients receive a beautiful and meaningful Circle of Friends sculpture, hand-carved and signed by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.
Graham’s nomination:
Graham Olson has been a hospice volunteer since 2003. He is a dedicated volunteer who volunteers four hours at the House of the Dove front desk every weekend all year long. Graham applies exceptional interpersonal skills with patients, families, peers and colleagues. I hear comments monthly from HOD staff on how much help Graham is to all he meets and interacts. Besides working at HOD every weekend, he volunteers in hospice office each week, filing and sending out our facility/patient reports to appropriate facilities and does this with accuracy and detail.
The reason I am nominating Graham today is that he goes “above and beyond” and always says “yes” when I ask him to do any extra hours when needed. On a recent occasion, he came to HOD to sit at front desk for the morning so all three administrative assistants could attend their discipline meeting. He is capable to receive all calls and take detailed phone messages during the busy day hours. I am also impressed that Graham brings questions to me which in the end, are helpful to other volunteers to gain knowledge/confidence.
Graham consistently volunteers six hours each week, 52 weeks per year for the last 14 years. That adds up to almost 5000 hours. Previously to 2003, he sat on our Marshfield PAC Committee. Graham, you have significantly made a difference and you have a passion for hospice! You listen not only with your ears but also with your heart! This volunteer makes a difference six hours, (three to four days) each and every week. – Deborah Hickey
-Submitted to FOCUS
