Coös County, NH – April 20, 2026 – North Country Healthcare (NCH) is delighted to recognize National Volunteer Week from April 20-25, 2026 and celebrate the dedicated volunteer teams serving the North Country. Across NCH, 99 volunteers give their time: 48 at Androscoggin Valley Hospital (AVH), 22 at North Country Home Health and Hospice Agency (NCHHHA), 6 at Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital (UCVH), and 23 at Weeks Medical Center (WMC).
“Volunteers offer so much to our staff and our patients,” says AVH Volunteer Services Coordinator Candy O’Neil. AVH volunteers help in the Sunny Corner Gift Shop, which in turn supports the program started by AVH Auxiliary member Annemarie Platt to give teddy bears to patients needing a little extra comfort. AVH’s Concierge volunteers greet visitors, answer questions, offer wayfinding, and bring refreshments and activities to waiting rooms. “All our volunteers bring extra light to the hospital,” said O’Neil. “We also have a pet therapy program thanks to Ivan the dog and his volunteer handler Lisa Kardell, who visit patients to offer comfort and joy during their stays. Then there’s Lise and Ken Proulx, who come two days a week to help people fill out Advanced Directives. Plus there are all the volunteers who help out wherever needed across AVH. I’m so proud of our volunteers and all they bring to our work.”
NCH Volunteer Services Coordinator Michelle Brault agrees. “Across NCH, our volunteers bring a comforting touch for patients who may be feeling down,” said Brault.
At WMC, volunteers run the Sunshine Gift Shop, knit or crochet shawls and lap blankets for inpatients at the hospital, and offer blood pressure screening clinics for the public in Groveton, Whitefield, and Lancaster.
Volunteers for NCHHHA provide companionship for hospice patients, and help with light household chores and meal preparation when needed. NCHHHA volunteers also sew Memory Bears made from clothing of those who have passed away while on hospice, providing a source of comfort to their families as they navigate the grieving process.
“Our volunteers also help with blood drives,” says Brault, “and across NCH, they help with clerical duties, fold laundry, make beds, escort patients between departments—whatever is needed, they’re there to help. We truly could not do it without them, and we are grateful to work with so many folks that are so generous with their time.”
NCH celebrated its volunteer teams at a luncheon at the Bellevue Barn in Jefferson on Friday, April 24, with several volunteers receiving recognition for reaching service milestones. To learn more or inquire about volunteering opportunities throughout NCH, contact Michelle Brault at [email protected] or Candy O’Neil at candy.o’[email protected].