Southeast Hospice honors volunteers

Volunteers with Southeast Hospice, a service of Southeast Missouri Hospital, were honored for their service at the annual Southeast Hospice Recognition Banquet held recently.

The Gabriel Award, the highest award for Hospice volunteers, was presented to Jane Hargraves of Chaffee. She has been a Southeast Hospice volunteer since 1999.

Iris Likens and Glenda Quinn, both of Cape Girardeau, have been Southeast Hospice volunteers since 1997. They received the Cherub Award.

The Guardian Angel Award, recognizing dedication to hospice patients and their families, was presented to William Lindsay of Cape Girardeau and Rita Aunspach of Perryville. Lindsay has been a Southeast Hospice volunteer since 2002. Aunspach has volunteered since 1998.

Ten-year service pins were awarded to Marge Loiseau Bauerle and Larry Hamilton, both of Cape Girardeau. Five-year pins went to Aunspach; Ken Barrett, Gordonville; Susan Muller, Marble Hill; Carolyn Pendergrass, Scott City; and Vera Pobst, Oran.

Carol Keppler, Southeast Hospice volunteer coordinator since 1993, was also honored at the dinner. She is retiring later this month.

Keppler said that of the 115,000 people involved in hospice care in the United States, some 95,000 are volunteers who each year give more than 5 million hours to helping terminally ill patients and their families. Keppler said Southeast Hospice volunteers have given more than 2,000 hours of service to more than 300 patients and families over the past year.

To learn more about becoming a Southeast Hospice Volunteer, call 335-6208.