"I See Dead People!"

I had a blast volunteering at the Junior High Career Fair yesterday, but I had a homemaker handing out fresh-baked homemade cookies on one side of me. The guy with the cool hand cuffs and leg irons (don't call him a bounty hunter or he'll slap them on you) was on the other.  Across the gym was a stunt man doing tricks.  The competition was tough and I had a little trouble attracting the students' attention at first.


Then I started calling out to them as they walked by, "I see dead people!"


That got them there. 

I have teenage sons- I know how to get their attention. 

Of the nearly 400 kids there, I only found one that had any previous notion of what hospice is.


To get to the heart of it quickly, I started by asking them if they were dying, would they rather die alone in a hospital because it is after visiting hours, or would they rather spend their final days at home with their friends, family and pets.  Of course most wanted to be at home.


That gave me the opportunity to tell them that hospice would facilitate that by bringing nurses, medical equipment and whatever else was needed into the home.  I then proceeded to show them some of the things that I do as a volunteer.  They were fascinated with  the enrichment activities for dementia patients. 


Only after they had heard my presentation did I then explain to them about the 11th Hour Program and how we sit with people who are actively dying until they pass. 

They were filled with enough new information to forgive me for tricking them with the "I see dead people" line.  One kid did keep asking if I could see any around us just then, but I eventually got even him on board.

On a final note of course, I told them that even teens can volunteer and how impressive that would look on scholarship applications!