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4 LIVE IT UP! FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015 SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL J anie Crabb learned first hand how valuable hospice services are while nursing her mother through a terminal illness. The experience motivated the retired school teacher to begin working as a volunteer visitor for Hospice of Santa Cruz County in 2007. Helping comfort people at the end of their lives and providing respite for their families is immensely rewarding. "It's the best thing I've ever done," Crabb said, adding that other hospice volunteers share her sentiment. "We would all say we get as much as we give without a doubt. It's an honor to be with people at the end of their life." Crabb is one of 300 or so locals providing volunteer services for the organization. About a third of the volunteers visit clients in their homes or nursing facilities, while another third help raise funds through the Friends of Hospice. Nearly three dozen volunteers provide grief support to people who have lost family members or close friends, while the remainder either help support the office staff or serve in the speakers' bureau and share information about the organization with community groups. "We're very fortunate that we have a lot of active volunteers," said Radha Mallery, the volunteer coordinator for Hospice of Santa Cruz County. The agency is seeking additional friendly and compassionate men and women to join their volunteers ranks. They especially need veterans to provide support to hospice patients who are also veterans. Bi-lingual and bi-cultural volunteers are also in demand, as well as massage therapists and volunteers with companion dogs to visit and comfort patients. Don't worry if you don't fall into any of those categories. "You don't have to meet any of those criteria as long as your a kind person who is willing to make a one year commitment," Mallery said. Volunteer training is provided by Hospice of Santa Cruz County at no charge. Sign ups are underway for the next training course, which is scheduled to begin March 17, 2015. The training will be held at the Hospice of Santa Cruz County's Borina Family Center for Compassionate Care in Watsonville. "We receive excellent training," said Crabb. "It's fabulous." For more information on volunteer opportunities and to sign up for training, visit www.hospicesantacruz.org or call Radha Mallery at (831) 430-3006. Volunteers for Hospice of Santa Cruz County Hospice of Santa Cruz County volunteer coordinator Radha Mallery, right, with volunteer extraordinary Janie Crabb. (Shmuel Thaler -- Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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