We are endlessly grateful to our volunteers for giving their time to better the lives of those impacted by Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Our volunteers are truly the heart of the Alzheimer’s Association here in North Carolina.
In honor of National Volunteer Week 2020, we’ll be spotlighting a different volunteer from our Chapter each day. Today we are featuring…
Susan Rinehart
High Point, NC
What brought you to volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association?
My Dad, Bill Ellis, fought his battle with Alzheimer’s for over 11 years before passing away on March 9, 2017. Trying to understand the disease, the changes in my Dad, what professional care was needed and available, and how to prepare for the final days was a daunting and stressful long-term ordeal. I wanted to have a voice that was heard for Alzheimer’s, not lost with the death of my father
What volunteer role(s) do you have with the Association?
Committee Member for The Longest Day
The Longest Day Committee plays a vital role in helping grow involvement in the Association’s second signature campaign through recruiting participants, providing coaching on fundraising and event planning, and spreading the word to individuals and groups.
What do you enjoy most about your volunteer role?
Being a volunteer for The Longest Day Committee gives me the opportunity to help in the process of raising money to fund the different Alzheimer’s Association’s initiatives including research, advocacy, and the hotline manned by master’s-level clinicians. I also share my story and offer my support to other caregivers.
What piece of your role do you feel makes the biggest impact?
My biggest impact is reaching out to others affected by Alzheimer’s. It is an honor to share with them the tools that are available to help navigate through the ever-changing process of the disease. Caregivers of a loved one carry a heavy burden. Having a chance to say, “You are not alone” is so powerful!
If someone were considering volunteering with the Association, what would you say to them?
If someone asked me about volunteering, I would exuberantly shout, “Do it”! It is so rewarding to have a voice and to share my journey in the hopes of helping others. Volunteering for me gives meaning to my father’s battle. I know he would be proud of me reaching out and trying to make a difference for other families who are living day-to-day fighting the Alzheimer’s battle. It is so important caregivers understand they are the first line of defense caring for their loved one and we all must stand together for strength until Alzheimer’s is a disease of the past.
THANK YOU, SUSAN
Volunteers truly help move our mission forward. Interested in becoming a volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association in NC?
Visit alz.org/get-involved-now/volunteer or call 800-272-3900.
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