Volunteer Program

Come volunteer with us!

Birch Bay Retirement Village is always looking for mature individuals who are dependable, passionate and committed to supporting our mission to maintain a creative and exciting continuing care community that enriches the freedom of retirement while easing the challenges of aging. Our volunteers help in various settings throughout the Birch Bay Retirement Village community and come from all age groups and backgrounds. We invite you to our explore our volunteer opportunities to find a match for your time and talents.

What Our Volunteers Are Saying

“I had an amazing experience volunteering here I felt supported and valued. ” -Volunteer

“I had such an incredible experience at Birch Bay. Doing activities with residents was so fulfilling and seeing their true happiness was something special.” –James Corbus, Life Enrichment Volunteer

Volunteer Application

Volunteer Opportunities at Birch Bay:

Care Partner Volunteers

Become a member of our Birch Bay Buddy Program! This opportunity seeks individuals interested in spending time with our residents suffering from dementia and/or isolation and doing one-on-one activities with them, such as reading, socializing, puzzles/games, letter writing/correspondence, walks, gardening, visits, and more.

Clubs & Socialization Volunteers

Have a special passion, talent, or interest that you’d like to share or teach? Birch Bay needs volunteers to lead social clubs, such as book clubs, card/game clubs, nature clubs, community involvement groups, art classes, and much more with our apartment residents and cottagers.

Junior Volunteers

We have multiple opportunities for local school groups and/or individuals aged between 13 – 18 to volunteer. These opportunities vary and typically do not involve direct resident contact. However, our junior volunteers are instrumental to our programming, helping to ensure gardening areas and outdoor spaces are ready each season, assisting with organization and cleanup, and much more. These opportunities provide younger individuals access to the inner workings of residential care facilities for broadening interests and future career possibilities.

Life Enrichment Volunteers

Join in, learn, and assist our Life Enrichment Program as a Life Enrichment Volunteer! Birch Bay is seeking motivated, patient, and caring individuals to assist our Life Enrichment staff with engaging our residents suffering from dementia in purposeful and creative activities that seek to maximize their independence and energy and positively impact their emotions. Life Enrichment Volunteers will take part in activities such as gardening, baking, outings, social groups, worship services, and much, much more.

Performance Volunteer Opportunities

Are you musically inclined or knowledgeable about an important topic? Volunteers are needed at Birch Bay for musical performances, public presentations or talks, and clergy members for worship services (currently held every Wednesday). This may be the perfect opportunity to share your musical talents, knowledge, gifts, or services with residents from our entire community!

Activities & Engagement Volunteers

Interested in leading or assisting a regular activity group with our assisted living residents? Birch Bay has a need for volunteers on an as-scheduled or routine basis to lead classes, projects, or groups with our assisted living residents. Activities & Engagement Volunteers may lead groups or classes in arts and crafts, games, exercise, and more.

Pet Therapy Volunteers

Do you have a pet certified in pet therapy? Therapy pets fulfill a need for our residents that cannot be addressed in any other way, and our residents cherish and look forward to visits with these animals and their people.

If you are interested in getting your pet certified in pet therapy so that you may participate in such opportunities, please visit the Therapy Dogs International, Inc., website at www.tdi-dog.org.

Adult Day Program Volunteers

The Don & Beth Straus Therapeutic Adult Day Program is looking for volunteers to assist with programming and interactivity. Straus Volunteers may lead or assist with activities, meals, limited documentation, outings, and more.

All volunteers must complete a mandatory background check, in-service training, show proof of immunizations, sign confidentiality statements, and provide references

Please contact James Hoke, Director of Programs & Resident Engagement for more information or to fill out an application. 288-8014 x 5227