BGH Volunteer Opportunities
Welcome to Volunteering at BGH
Bonner General Health invites you to become an integral part of our healthcare community through volunteering.
Our BGH volunteers play a vital role in upholding our mission of serving our community by providing excellent healthcare close to home. By becoming part of our volunteer team, your contributions greatly impact the lives of our patients and our Sandpoint community.
Our volunteers help in multiple areas including on our volunteer council, through hospice care, chaplain services, and in our Healing Garden. If you are looking for a way to support your hometown hospital and have a sincere desire to give back, we welcome you to volunteer with us at Bonner General Health.
Contact Information
Ways to Volunteer
Bonner General Health offers a variety of volunteering programs to accommodate full-time, seasonal, event, teen and casual volunteering. Our programs are dedicated to providing support to our community while also engaging our volunteer’s individual strengths and interests.
Bonner General Health Volunteer Council
Since 1949 our volunteer council has been working closely with hospital team members in areas where their talents are best utilized to support our BGH staff and patients while upholding our vision, mission, and values. Our volunteer council is best suited for long term, or seasonal volunteers that want to serve the hospital and its patients.
Members assist in various areas throughout the hospital, providing those special “extras” that make a meaningful difference in the lives of our patients and hospital team. Volunteer Council Members typically volunteer weekly in 3-hour shifts and are asked to volunteer a minimum of 75 hours annually in various areas at Bonner General Health such as:
- Emergency Department
- Lobby Desk
- Pharmacy
- Cancer Center
- Patient Sitting
- Billing & Reception
- Business Offices
Where we Volunteer
Our BGH Volunteers help in a variety of ways onsite and in our community.
- Patient Sitters
- The Healing Garden
- Kootenai Cancer Center
- Hospice
- Pharmacy
- Human Resources
- Billing & Clinical Offices
- Fundraising & Events
Become a BGH Council or Hospice Volunteer
1. Submit an application, release for background check, & confidentiality pledge.
2. Our volunteer coordinator will reach out to set up an interview.
a. A medical or religious exemption may be submitted for
review for those who choose to not to immunize.
b. A Health & Drug Screening is not required for those under 18
Become a Teen Volunteer
1. Submit an application
2. Our volunteer coordinator will reach out to set up an interview.
3. Provide Immunization Records.
a. A medical or religious exemption may be submitted for review for those who choose to not vaccinate.
4. Attend orientation & training for our Teen Volunteer program.
Healing Garden & Event Volunteers
Volunteers interested in helping in our Healing Garden or with our community events are welcome to volunteer without a formal application or orientation.
For those interested in volunteering to help with events and fundraising, please fill out our contact form to the left to receive our event volunteer request.
Visit our Healing Garden page for additional information on our community garden days and fundraisers.
Existing Volunteers
Volunteer Council Volunteers
Hospice Volunteers
Upcoming Events
March 20th – 7am – 3pm – Bake Sale
April 17th – 10am – Yearly Education Meeting
April 24th – 11:30am – Awards Luncheon
August 10th or 17th (TBD) – Summer Picnic
Sept 4th – 11:30am – Welcome Back Potluck
September 25th – 7:30am – 4pm – Scrub Sale
October 18th – 10:00am – noon – Election Meeting
December 2nd – 5th – 8:00am – 4:00pm – Parade of Trees
December 13th – 11:30am – Annual Meeting Luncheon
Community Education
Our Bonner General Community Hospice offers education and outreach to those in our community interested in learning more about hospice and end of life topics. Outreach meetings are held in our Health Services Building at 423 N. Third Avenue in room 101 from 10am – 11am.
March 23rd – Life Review & The Importance of Storytelling
April 11th – A Shifting Landscape; End-of-Life Ethics 9-11am
May25th – Compassion & The True Meaning of Empathy
June 22nd – Communicating & Calming Those with Late-Stage Dementia
July 20th – Heart & Humor from Hospice
August 17th – Understanding Body Language
September 21st – Hospice During the Holidays
November 16th – Bereavement, Loss & Grief
December 14th – Finding the Beauty at the End of Life
Contact Us
Volunteer Coordinator: Kate McAlister
520 N. Third Avenue
Sandpoint, ID 83864
208-265-1159 | Email
Bonner General Community Hospice
Hospice is a promise of hope, comfort, and support for those in our community with serious illness or injury that have reached the point of no longer seeking aggressive or curative treatment.
Our hospice volunteers contribute administratively, through event fundraising, or through direct client support to provide respite care, housekeeping, meal preparations and companionship to our hospice patients and their families.
Volunteering with hospice clients requires additional onboarding training through online classes and continued education. Our hospice volunteers provide an immense amount of additional support to families in our community who are in the midst of caring for loved ones in hospice care.
The Healing Garden
The Healing Garden is completely planned, built, and maintained by volunteers. Since it’s opening in 2004, the space has been a tranquil retreat dedicated to honoring those who have passed on. Our healing garden volunteers help to create a place of solace that truly reflects the surrounding natural beauty that we enjoy here in northern Idaho.
In every way, in every season, the Healing Garden achieves this purpose of bringing the community together. Healing Garden volunteers assist with fundraising events as well as in the garden itself to help maintain the extensive work the garden requires. An application is not required, and anyone is welcome to volunteer in the garden at their leisure. Visit our Healing Garden page for more information on our upcoming events, volunteer days, and ways you can help support the garden.
Teen Volunteer Summer Program
Our teen volunteer program is for those aged 14 – 18 years of age. Our 10-week summer program from June 19th – August 25th allows for teens to volunteer in various areas of the hospital, in our healing garden, and with our summer fundraising events.
Teens can volunteer in the areas they feel most comfortable, or try out various areas, and are requested to volunteer 5 hours weekly, or 50 hours throughout the summer program. A mandatory orientation and training are held June 19th & 20th from 8am – noon.
Fundraising & Event Volunteers
Bonner General Health hosts a number of community and fundraising events throughout the year. For those who are interested in helping with the planning, setting up, and events themselves, please add your contact information to the contact form below to receive our volunteer requests for upcoming events.
Event Volunteer Contact Form
Volunteer of the Year - 2023
Bonner General Health Volunteer Council recently awarded Sherry May, as “Volunteer of the Year.”
Sherry works in Patient Registration at BGH and joined the volunteer group in 2010. She is an integral part of special events and has been especially outstanding with fundraising. During a recent fundraiser for education funding, she was the volunteer who sold the most tickets for the raffle drawing.
Sherry is always available to help with the Volunteer Council Bake Sale, Scrub Sale, Parade of Trees, and luncheon events. She is always thinking of others and often decorates the volunteers’ lobby desk with flowers.
Accumulating over 150 hours, Sherry continues to be a vital part of the volunteer group. Congratulations, Sherry May, and thank you.
Sherry May
Junior Volunteer Awarded Education Grant
Keane Haesle began volunteering in April 2021 alongside his mother, Trienne Haesle, a current BGH volunteer.
His dedication to volunteering during the summer and holiday while attending school has made him well-known and appreciated by the Kootenai Cancer Center and Bonner General Health. He was willing to cross-train at the lobby desk and cancer center.
Keane has acquired 218 volunteer hours.
With great honor and appreciation, we, the BGH Volunteer Council, award Keane an Education Grant for $500.
Congratulations, Keane!
~ Margo Johnson, Council Chairman
Keane Haesle
BGH Volunteer Council Spring Fling Basket
The Volunteer Council is currently selling tickets for their next basket raffle. The picnic themed basket, valued at over $500 is filled with everything you need for the perfect spring picnic including wine, snacks, games, movie tickets, and gift cards generously donated by Safeway, Pie Hut, and Sandpoint Cinema. Proceeds from the raffle help support the Volunteer Council’s Educational fund assists Jr. Volunteers with scholarships, and our BGH team with ongoing training and education.
Pictured here: Winter Basket winner Paula Dunn
