DUNNVILLE—For the many volunteers who help keep the ship afloat at Dunnville’s Haldimand War Memorial Hospital and Edgewater Gardens, the navy-blue vest worn on duty is more than just a uniform – it’s a symbol of comfort and kindness.
Whether greeting visitors at the door, guiding patients through the halls, or offering a reassuring smile in a moment of worry, the volunteers of the Dunnville Healthcare Volunteer Association (DHCVA) are there to help patients navigate their way through difficult situations or to brighten the day of a senior living next door.
On Thursday, October 2, 2025, those volunteers were celebrated for their combined efforts at a recognition luncheon. Service pins and certificates were handed out to 33 attending volunteers. In total, DHCVA is honouring 40 of the 55 current members this year, including 11 celebrating five years of service, 19 celebrating 10 years, four celebrating 15 years, one each celebrating 20, 25, and 30 years, two celebrating 35 years, and one celebrating 50 years.
The organization began in June 1932 as the Women’s Hospital Aide.
“A lot’s changed since then,” said volunteer Daryl Stevens, who added he is “very glad” to have joined DHCVA in 2018. “It’s a great organization.”
Stevens said the many volunteers have logged a staggering 709 years of volunteer time in total, with 14,836 hours logged in the last 18 months alone. He added that DHCVA has raised $210,000 for the hospital and handed out $24,000 in bursary funds to prospective students in the medical field over the last decade.
Hospital President and CEO Sharon Moore, Haldimand Mayor Shelley Ann Bentley, and MPP Bobbi Ann Brady all spoke at the luncheon.
“You volunteer many, many hours of your life to your community and we are forever grateful. Thank you. Keep up the excellent work,” said Bentley.
Brady called it a privilege to celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of the volunteers.
“Since 1932, all of you in your navy vests have been a steady presence offering support, comfort, and compassion – not only to patients but to families and staff alike. We all know your role goes far beyond lending a helping hand,” said Brady. “Dunnville is one of those places where you all just pull your efforts together and you do the right thing; you give back to your community over and over again.”
Brady recalled stories of simple kindness that she’s heard about the volunteers: “Those are the memories people carry with them in their hearts long after they leave the LTC or hospital.”
Moore added to the praise, calling the assembled volunteers “incredible individuals” who “give so generously of your time, energy, and your hearts. All of you have contributed in ways we cannot count.”
“You are the quiet strength behind absolutely everything we do,” she said, listing the many ways volunteers make a difference. “They may seem to you to be small gestures, but I hear about these things from people who interact with you and they are not small.”
Moore said that selflessness extends beyond the walls of the hospital, uplifting the entire community, in addition to the patients, families, doctors, and nurses who pass through the doors of Haldimand War Memorial Hospital and Edgewater Gardens each day.
“You never really ask for this recognition. You don’t wear the scrubs and you don’t use the stethoscope, or maybe you used to and don’t anymore, but you are absolutely essential parts of healing,” said Moore. “You definitely remind us all there is still good that exists in the world today…. We want you to know your compassion and dedication does not go unnoticed. You are the heart of the hospital and Edgewater and we are better and stronger because of you.”
