Since 1997 Joan Zwiers has been volunteering at the Prince George Hospice Society where she has logged more than 2,000 volunteer hours.
Zwiers, now 75 years old, still volunteers as the Monday morning greeter at Rotary Hospice House.
Zwiers has had many volunteer positions at hospice throughout the years including guest care back in the day when she worked right alongside the registered nurses.
Zwiers has provided emotional listening support to those who have lost a loved one, has facilitated Tea Time for the Soul, and helped with the Celebrate a Life annual memorial during the holiday season and has even done community outreach and visited people in their homes to offer companionship while providing respite to long-term caregivers.
"Joan has a caring and empathetic heart," said Catherine Gladwin, volunteer resources/grief support coordinator for the Prince George Hospice Society. "Joan knows how to listen without trying to fix. She can be silent and present, just allowing someone else to know they are cared for.
I am very proud of Joan and her giving heart and her commitment to Hospice."
Zwiers has a very realistic attitude toward death that's inarguable.
"Dying is part of life," said Zwiers, who came from Holland 50 years ago. "There's no escaping it. If you can help people in that stage of their life and offer them comfort - well, that just appealed to me."
Zwiers said she was not able to be there for her parents when they died because they were still in Holland so helping others in her own community was a good fit for her.
Some people might be surprised about the tone set within the walls of the Hospice House.
"It's a happy atmosphere," said Zwiers. "It's happy, loving, caring."
Zwiers sticks to the hands-on type of help needed at Hospice and leaves the fundraising to others now although she has been known to sell tickets for the Hospice Dream Home in the past.
"I wanted people contact and this was it," said Zwiers, who owns Papyrus Printing with her husband, Bill, who has always been very supportive of Joan's volunteer time at Hospice.
Her first shift at Hospice was on Christmas day 1997.
"They were so short-staffed and they couldn't get anyone in so I got there and there were no guests," laughed Zwiers. She ended up having turkey dinner with the nurse on duty who had brought in her family to keep her company.
"So that was my first shift - it was an easy one," said Zwiers, who has a look in her eye that said not all shifts are that easy.
After that Zwiers, who also volunteers at the Westwood Church with her husband, would take the 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. shift at Hospice House where it would be all about preparing dinner and spending time with guests and their families.
"The most important aspect for me was to help with guest care," said Zwiers. "That was the most rewarding and because it was the most intimate setting we got a lot more people contact."
Flip through The Citizen's Volunteer City series, featuring stand-out volunteers in Prince George:
