April is National Volunteer Month-Spotlight on Barb

Posted on: 2016 04 08

When I arrived to my first day at the Armistead Senior Care office, there was a beautiful bouquet of flowers waiting on my desk. It was a lovely gesture by my co-workers and it certainly made me feel both special and welcomed. As the week went on and I was focused on work, my bouquet suffered from a lack of attention on my part. This was unfortunate because my work area is what you see first when entering our office. One of our Caregiver’s walked into the office, took one look at my bouquet and immediately made it look beautiful again. She introduced herself and said, “This is what I do”.  A few weeks later, she returned with a fantastic winter-themed bouquet that she had made and put in a striking red vase. I thanked her and again she replied, “This is what I do”.  I asked her if she had been a florist; she explained that she volunteered at the Vermont Respite House in Williston, Vermont. Her kind gestures and this conversation stayed with me. Armistead Senior Care would like to shine a spotlight on our wonderful Caregiver’s who are also wonderful volunteers.   Barbara Powell began working for Armistead in 2009 and we are very fortunate to have her. She has a degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Vermont and she taught 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade in a two room schoolhouse in the Northeast Kingdom. Continuing to put her education to use, Barb raised four children and ran a Daycare for 13 years. Barb has been a volunteer at the Vermont Respite House for over 10 years; a friend encouraged her to volunteer there. She makes and serves breakfast and strives to have flowers on every breakfast tray. In addition, she freshens up flower arrangements in the Respite House common areas as well as in resident’s rooms. Barb loves being at the Respite House, she says, “I have met wonderful people, I love being there for the families and I am able to serve them by listening, just simply being there to listen. It truly makes my day brighter. I work with amazing people. I encourage people to volunteer there, training is provided and there are lots of jobs to choose from.” In addition to the Vermont Respite House, Barb has also been a Meals on Wheels CVAA community volunteer off and on, for over 10 years. She enjoys brightening the day for the senior residents she serves, knowing they are receiving a nutritious meal, and helping them to stay in their homes. Barb is also active in her church, volunteering there as well. In her free time, she enjoys reading, doing logic puzzles and games, and gardening. Barb loves being an Armistead Caregiver, she has found it very enriching and has met wonderful clients, their families and other Armistead Caregivers. She really enjoys integrating into the life of her clients and developing a relationship with their families and even their pets! Barb feels like being a Caregiver and her volunteer work mesh well with her personality and previous career. We would agree as she makes us all feel special. Thank you for ALL that you do Barb, we truly appreciate you!