The Gift of Presence

The holidays will be a little brighter this year for patients at the Prince George's Hospital Center, thanks to Riverdale Park resident Michael Herman and The Holiday Project of the National Capital Area.

With the help of local team leaders, like Herman, The Holiday Project organizes groups of volunteers to spread holiday cheer to nursing home residents and hospital patients throughout the DC metro area. Volunteers sing Christmas carols and visit with those who cannot be with loved ones on Christmas Day.

"This time of year is about giving and counting the blessings you have and sharing them with those who are not in as good a position," said Herman, who began volunteering with The Holiday Project about 20 years ago, and became a team leader about 15 years ago.

As team leader, Herman is responsible for recruiting volunteers to sing and socialize with patients and nursing home residents on Christmas Day.

He said that while the holidays are a joyous time for may people, for those in hospitals or nursing homes, this can be a difficult time of year.

"People don't want to be in the hospital on the holidays," he said.

Some of the volunteers love to sing, said Herman, but for others this activity means more than that.

"There are those who like to engage people in different ways and have meaningful moments with the residents," he said.

Herman said that the volunteers get as much out of the visits as the residents and patients, and volunteers come back year after year.

This year, Herman and his group of 20-30 volunteers will be visiting the Hillhaven Nursing Center in Adelphi and the Prince George's Hospital Center.

Anyone interested in volunteering on Christmas Day can contact Herman via email at mdh3500@aol.com.