[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 29, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1798-E1799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING THE HOSPICE VOLUNTEERS OF WATERVILLE AREA

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL H. MICHAUD

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 29, 2010

  Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Hospice 
Volunteers of Waterville Area on the 30th anniversary of their 
founding.
  Hospice Volunteers of Waterville Area (HVWA) was founded in 1980 by a 
small

[[Page E1799]]

group of concerned community members looking to provide non-medical 
support for individuals and their families during the last phases of 
life and grieving process. It has since gone on to become a cornerstone 
for end of life care in the region, serving 27 communities in central 
Maine. HVWA has gone on to expand their services through the 
establishment of Camp Ray of Hope, an award winning state-wide program 
aimed at bringing together those who have lost loved ones to illness, 
accidents, suicide, and homicide, as well as Hope's Place--a youth peer 
counseling program.
  For anyone who finds themselves in this position, the last stages of 
life are often filled with tumultuous emotions, pain, and fear. The 
services which the staff and volunteers at HVWA provide to their 
neighbors during a period of ultimate vulnerability are truly 
remarkable. At no cost to patients or their families, volunteers 
operate a multitude of support groups, direct care companionship and 
bereavement counseling.
  There is no way to quantify the value of HVWA to the central Maine 
region. For thirty years, they have remained a steadfast beacon of 
compassion, understanding and comfort for those who need it most. I 
wish them the very best going forward, and I hope their example stands 
as a testament to what can be achieved through the kindness of the 
human spirit.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring the Hospice Volunteers of 
Waterville Area for their three decades of devoted service to their 
community.

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