William Kirkland of Guyton won the coveted Herb Jones Volunteer of the Year award and a $500 check for Hospice Savannah at last week’s Rotary Club of Effingham County’s 12^th annual volunteer recognition dinner held at New Ebenezer Retreat Center.

Will has been a volunteer with Hospice Savannah, Inc.  and with its Steward Companion Program since March, 2012. A gentle man, he shows true compassion and empathy for every patient he visits and despite his personal challenges, has been a faithful and dependable volunteer. In 2011 Will was diagnosed with Sarcoidosis and every second month he has had to make a trip to Atlanta to spend a week or more at Emory University Medical Center, preparing his body to hopefully accept a double lung transplant when a donor becomes available.  Despite his numerous medical appointments, Will still managed to log in almost 400 volunteer hours to help with Hospice and Steward Companion patients both in their homes and in nursing homes.  He has been a regular visitor to six different patients and their families. 

For the past three years, Will has also been a camp counselor at Camp Aloha, a weekend grief camp for children who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Outside of his volunteer work with Hospice Savannah, Will independently visits nursing homes and prisons, bringing a good word and a smile to those who can use it the most.  He often travels the back roads of Effingham County to bring friendship and food to those who are alone and often isolated.   This past Christmas Will and his pastor collected numerous gifts that were distributed to 25 patients and families by the nurses, social workers and chaplains of Hospice Savannah.