PENFIELD, N.Y. — A local hospice home in Scottsville re-opened, after four years of rebuilding from the inside out. You may recall how much of an effect COVID-19 had on these services.

The home, Patrick Place, was unable to hold fundraisers. Dozens of volunteers stepped down out of fear for the virus, and it took time to bring them back. 

The emails and phone calls didn’t stop during the downtime, though, said Cissy Leblanc, secretary on the board for Patrick Place. 

Organizers were eager to open again, but it took hard work. 

Along the way, the team built a new deck and furnished the basement, adding a conference room and special area for training volunteers. These, are all projects that couldn’t have happened with someone living there, said chairman Patrick Hanley.

The home opened in early September with 55 volunteers. The goal is to reach 75.

“A couple weeks ago when we had our first resident, I was with her out on the deck, we wheeled her out. And her comment to me was, ‘How lucky am I to be here?,'” said LeBlanc.

“But more important, not only the setting of the house, it’s really the volunteers that make Patrick Place,” said Hanley. “We have an awesome group of volunteers, they support the people in ways you can’t believe, and we have gotten a lot of good accolades from the residents, and as well as spouses of family members.”

Now they’re inviting the community to get involved, whether as a volunteer or just attending a fundraising event. It’s never too late to learn about end-of-life care. It might just be your loved one in need of care someday.

The home is hosting a gala on November 1 at Jack’s Place at the Chili Country Club. Western New York Dueling Pianos will be there and organizers hope to host a few hundred people.

Click here to learn more about the event, including tickets. 

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