Brave Heart
Dear Editor: I recently read a poignant quote by author Dr. Joanne Cacciatore: “If you simply cannot understand why someone is grieving so much, for so long, then consider yourself fortunate that you do not understand.” I believe the same can be said of anyone who is suffering, whether from grief, loneliness, untold loss, chronic pain, or terminal illness. Unfortunately, these are concerns our organization encounters every day among the people we serve – your own neighbors and fellow Sitkans. In fact, Brave Heart Volunteers exists because 20 years ago, two nurses and a dedicated group of community members desired to provide compassionate care and companionship to those in such need.
As a nonprofit, BHV is unique in that we are not looking for a cure or for ways to eradicate a problem. Rather, we are tending to unavoidable matters of the human condition, things that all of us will experience at some point: death, loss, grief, illness, pain, and loneliness. As a heart-based organization, our aim is to alleviate the suffering of others by providing social and emotional support during some of the most challenging times of their lives. We recognize that people need to be seen and heard, to know they matter, and they’re not alone in their pain. Our volunteers yield to those needs; they stop long enough to truly see, listen, walk alongside, and serve others with kindness.
If you think about it, BHV is like a flashlight – a light for others in their darkest moments. Quite often, people don’t give much thought to a flashlight or entirely appreciate it until it’s needed, but we all hope it’s there and fully functional when we do. For BHV to be fully functional, we need batteries, namely financial support. For two decades now, we have provided services without charge to our community. However, while our services are free, they come with costs, and given the current economic climate, we are finding it difficult to raise the funds we need to meet our annual operating expenses.
Today, we invite you to become a “battery” for BHV, to safeguard our ability to be a light for others, so we can continue to be responsive when called upon. Would you consider making a financial contribution to our 20th Anniversary Campaign? Your generosity is not a gift to our organization; your gift ultimately passes through us to our care receivers, to Sitkans who are most in need of loving kindness and fellowship. As Colette Nelson of Ludvig’s Bistro said about a recent fundraiser they hosted for BHV, “Thank you for giving us a deeper purpose. Supporting those who support others feels so good.” We could not have said it any better.
Thank you for making a donation to BHV today. Your financial support helps us to continue helping others. You can contribute at braveheartvolunteers.org/donate-to-braveheart.
Angie DelMoral, Executive Director
Brave Heart Volunteers, Sitka
