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Aveanna Hospice of Andalusia is pleased to announce Celia Kelley, a veteran social worker for 29 years, as its new volunteer coordinator.

Kelley worked as a medical social worker for nine years before spending the last 11 years at the Department of Human Resources. She has worked with both children and the elderly through family services and hospice.

“I joined hospice in my early 30s and had no idea how much of an impact it would have in my life. Everyone experiences the death of a loved one at some point in his or her life. We often don’t know how to plan for the death, how to feel about it, and certainly don’t often understand it,” Kelley said. “Hospice gave me the medical, spiritual, and emotional knowledge through education and experiences for me to not only understand but to be able to help others through these experiences. Hopefully, I can relieve some of the questions and needs that come with sickness and death by the patient and loved ones. Along the way, I realized what an honor it was to be a part of this experience with families both before and after one’s death.”

Kelley learned of the opening for the volunteer coordinator position in June and submitted an application. Not long after, she interviewed before Aveanna Hospice executive director Kim Ray called and offered her the position.

Her first day of employment was on Monday, July 8.

“After leaving hospice, my heart for hospice continued to tug at me through the years. I had been praying for God to place me where he wanted me to be. I am grateful to Aveanna and Kim for giving me the opportunity to join their team, a team who has a heart for hospice like I do,” she said.

One of Kelley’s goals is to involve more in the community who want to give back and volunteer their time and services. She added that she plans to visit the local community and recruit volunteers for Aveanna.

“Volunteers are an invaluable part of the hospice team. Medicare requires 5 percent of staff-patient care time to be met through volunteers. Volunteers may provide administrative or patient-related services, such as visiting a patient for companionship, running errands for a caregiver, and assisting with office tasks at the hospice office. There are many ways to provide your time and skills or just to be a compassionate ear for the families and patients,” Kelley said.

Aveanna Hospice recruits adult volunteers 18 and older as well as junior volunteers ages 14-17. Current volunteers are Ginger Burdett, Roger Campbell, Lola Shakespeare, Janet Brantley, Mary Brazzell, Carolyn DeForest, Summer Brown, Judy Phillips, Carla Mooney, Braden Crates, Bryce Jernigan, Kinsley Stovall, and Marli Rolling.

A Goshen High School alumna, Kelley received a degree in Psychology from Troy University. She is married to Tony Kelley with four children and two grandchildren. When she is not working for Aveanna, she works alongside her husband at their store, 29 and Main Market, in Dozier.

Anyone interested in learning more about the volunteer program may call 334-427-4000. Aveanna Hospice is located at 820 South Three Notch Street, Suite C in Andalusia. Office hours are weekdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. with a nurse available on call 24 hours a day.