Hospice has help in crosstown move

January 16, 2010

Volunteer Chuck Croley, who lost his wife in 2007, says he tries to help the Hospice of Anchorage whenever he can. (Joshua Borough/KTUU-DT)

by Christine Kim
Saturday, January 16, 2010

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Anchorage residents are giving back to an organization that helped them through one of their toughest times. After 10 years at its old location, the Hospice of Anchorage didn't have a place to go until volunteers stepped in.

Workers filled a room at the hospice's new location on Northern Lights Boulevard Saturday, trying to help out in some way or another. The walls inside this building are just about done being painted.

The paint, the carpet that will cover these floors, and the hard labor that comes with it are all donated by people wanting to give back -- each of whom has a story to tell.

"I've been involved in Hospice since about 2006 through my wife who was a diagnosed terminal cancer patient," said volunteer Chuck Croley, who lost his wife in 2007. "She'd been messing with cancer, fighting cancer since 1990."

"We got started as users of this service when our 5-year-old son had terminal cancer," said volunteer Sean Robbins.

Many others share the bare floors and music from a sturdy radio, helping the group that helped them years ago.

"To give back, just whenever they need support," Croley said. "Whether it's helping with their fundraisers, stuff like that. Sometimes they have to contact us, but a lot of times we're right there waiting: ‘What can we do?'"

The hospice received a notice in November that the organization had to find a new location. It found this building weeks later and it's now making the big move -- but not without the help of volunteers.

"We have a tremendous number of volunteers," said Donna Stephens, Hospice of Anchorage's president. "And because we don't charge for our services, we needed volunteer labor to help us make this building into a warm and welcoming space for people in the community."

While the hospice helps heal wounds during one of the hardest times in life, volunteers say it's now their turn to return the favor.

"There's many of us who can't do big financial donations, so there's another group I'm involved with," said Croley. "They call it time, talent and treasure: you try to give what you can."

Stephens says all the painting should be done this weekend, and they'll finish putting in the carpets by the middle of next week. If everything goes as planned, the hospice is expected to move in by the end of next week and start working from the new location by the following week.

Contact Christine Kim at ckim@ktuu.com

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