Snowbird Couple Continues Hospice Volunteer Work at Cornerstone

Jim and Connie Fleck of Ohio come to Tavares as snowbirds every year, but that doesn’t mean they stop their volunteer work.

As a retired nurse, Connie began her volunteering seven years ago. She visited families in their homes or in facilities to provide conversation and good cheer or to give caregivers some time away.

Jim followed her last year by going through the training to become a Cornerstone SALUTES! veteran volunteer. These volunteers are veterans who seek to provide dignity and recognition for the veterans in Cornerstone’s care.

“It’s so fulfilling. The rewards are amazing,” Jim says. He served in the United States Army during the late 1950s. “I just got a thank-you card from a family whose loved one I had honored. You can really touch someone’s life.”

Agreeing with her husband, Connie adds that the volunteer training they received from the Cornerstone Hospice team made it possible for them to be comfortable with patients and families during this crucial time.

“Often patients are at ease with their decision to receive hospice care, and I’ve been able to learn from that,” Connie says. “It put any fears I had at ease. I love helping them and their families.”

The Flecks are back in Ohio now, and Cornerstone Hospice is looking for new volunteers to help patients as other temporary residents have left Lake County.

Training for volunteers is scheduled for Friday, May 17 and May 24 from 9am-1:30pm at 4215 County Road 561 in Tavares. Lunch and refreshments are provided. If you’re interested and would like to register, please contact Bettie LoCicero at 352.742.6827 or email blocicero@cshospice.org.

Cornerstone Hospice is a leading community-owned provider of end-of-life care in Central Florida. They work in Lake, Sumter, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Hardee, and Highlands counties.