DANVILLE — Volunteers brighten the lives of nursing home residents in many ways, but the little touches are the ones that count.

“Some are so happy just to have someone hold their hand, or give a hug or a smile,” said Kathy Bock, activity aide at Colonial Manor Nursing Home. “It’s the one-on-one that people need.”

Bock and activity directors at other nursing homes agreed that good volunteers are invaluable: They lend a hand to a busy staff, bring a personal touch to residents’ lives and enrich their own lives with a new experience.

JoAnne Andrews of Alvin is one volunteer who’s on a mission to encourage others to reach out to the elderly and others in long-term care facilities.

She’s spoken to pastors about encouraging their congregations to volunteer, and the seven girls in her Gifts of the Spirit program are involved, too.

Gifts of the Spirit is a mentoring program, focusing on sewing, baking and studying the Bible.

The girls go on either Tuesday or Saturday for an hour, once a month, and usually bring along cookies they’ve baked or pictures they’ve colored for the residents.

On a recent Saturday, Andrews led a sing-along of favorite hymns with a few residents at Colonial Manor. Her mother, Sadie Sanders, 90, lives there.

Smiling, the women sang along, remembering the words to the old songs.

A bit later, 6-year-old twins Natalie and Erin and their mother, Lisa Wise, of rural Bismarck came with home-baked brownies to share. It was their second visit.

Wise said her daughters are learning to give to others through their nursing home visits. “Children just want, want, want,” Wise said. “It’s good they learn to give. I think this is a good thing for them and everybody.”

They attend Bismarck Elementary School; their father is Jeremy.

A child’s touch

Bock agreed that residents like seeing children, especially those who never had children of their own.

“They could use a younger, smiling face to help them be happy,” Bock said.

Kelly See, activity director at Vermilion Manor Nursing Home, said several school groups often drop by to help out, especially nearby Southwest Elementary.

“They love to see young people come in,” she said, referring to the residents.

The children also benefit from the relationship. Some are frightened when they first start volunteering, but by the end of the year, they’ve become good friends with the residents and “adopt” them as grandparents.

The Southwest students come once a week and play games. Sometimes, they’ll cater a special meal, such as a fish fry.

Teens with Westville High School’s Step program help deliver mail and do other tasks. Other volunteers include young people from church groups, Boy Scout troops and Georgetown-Ridge Farm High School.

A group of retired women with the Strawberry Patch store sells cookies, fruit and other goodies to the residents.

See said the nursing home would love to have more volunteers. People don’t need a certain talent, just the desire to share their time, she said.

Animals are a big hit, too, and families may bring in their dogs — as long as they have their shots up to date — for the residents to pet.

Tabatha Kincade, activity aide at North Logan Health Care Center, said of volunteers, “We have a decent amount, but we could always use more.”

Many of the volunteers are retired people. Volunteers do one-on-one activities with residents, such as painting nails. People with a particular talent also are welcomed to perform or give a talk at one of the three daily presentations.

People are welcomed to bring their children, too.

Colonial Manor’s Bock said volunteers are needed to take residents for walks, play games (such as cards or bingo) or to share a talent. One volunteer, for example, used her sewing skills to replace buttons on residents’ clothing with Velcro.

“Personal relationship is what people miss. It’s the personal touches we miss,” Bock said.

“A good volunteer is worth gold.”

Other nursing homes in the area also could use volunteers.

Andrews said she wants parents to teach their children the value of visiting older people, and that she’d like her own experiences to be a pilot project for other families.

“Hopefully, this is going to be like a spark and catch on,” she said. “I’d like children to adopt someone to go and see. Some of these people never had grandchildren or children.”

One youngster, Caleb Cordes, baked cookies for the residents without being asked, she said.

Mentors for girls

Andrews started Gifts of the Spirit in 2001 with seven girls with the purpose of promoting religious, educational and charitable activities.

She also sells the Life of Faith products, including dolls and books about the dolls, through her business, Garments of Praise. The books are available at the Danville Public Library.

The books are historical novels featuring a variety of girls from the past who face challenges in their lives. They’re distributed through Mission City Press (www.alof.com). Her future goal is to start a Life of Faith girls’ club.

Andrews has been volunteering since 1999, when Henry Jorgeson and Bill Burnside encouraged her to come to Vermilion Manor with them. Her first big project was the Teddy Bear Brigade, where she and June Freezor made 52 bears for Provena United Samaritans Medical Center.

The men asked her to work with young women to teach them about purity and holiness, and she began mentoring girls. She also started her Garments of Praise business, which provides mentoring and biblical counseling for young women about their clothing choices.

People may contact Andrews for the books or dolls, or to join a mentoring group, at 759-7292. In addition, she’s free to give presentations about her programs for girls.