Puppy love, piano tunes and a heart of sunshine

Volunteer Sally Bartman brings good vibes to Brooks and Bassano

Story by Gregory Kennedy | Photos & video by Leah Hennel

BROOKS — Money can’t buy the joy Sally Bartman brings to residents, patients and staff as she tickles the ivories, playing her heart out to beloved showtunes, as her faithful pet-therapy pup Fergie holds court next to her on the piano bench, wagging to the hits.

That’s because Bartman is a volunteer, one of 13,400 who annually give more than 784,000 hours — that’s nearly 90 years — who enrich healthcare across Alberta with their kindness and compassion.

“I play anything and everything from current music to songs older than me,” says Bartman, 70, who’s become like ‘family’ to folks at Brooks Health Centre and Bassano Health Centre since 2005. “Probably my favourite out of all of them is What A Wonderful World. My second would be Danny Boy. My mother was from Ireland, so the Irish songs stick.”

She hastens to add with a laugh: “I do not sing. I am a terrible singer. But the residents sure do!”

Riding shotgun everywhere with Bartman is her dog Fergie, a Brittany breed, always full of energy and loved by all for her sweet disposition. “Brittanys love people. Funny thing is, they love kids and old people the best. Fergie’s perfectly suited for the pet therapy we do.”

“Without our volunteers — 110 in Brooks and 12 in Bassano — a lot of our programs and activities simply wouldn’t exist,” says Shauna James, coordinator of volunteer resources. “They bring joy. They bring a positive light. They bring community.”

James heaps praise on the pet therapy program, which puts smiles on seniors’ faces. “It's amazing. Most people here have had a pet in their lifetime, so when these dogs come in — and we have a cat here as well — people feel at ease. They embrace our furry friends. Instantly, they’re calm. And not just the patients, I’m speaking about our staff, too. People need this.

“Sally has another role that she helps me with, that’s equally important as her other roles, in our palliative care. She’s spent many hours bedside with patients for us, often being there when patient families couldn’t. She’s usually the first one to put up her hand. She helps our families at a very hard time, engaging with them and being part of their story, as their loved ones are leaving this earth. This really tugs my heart.”

Bartman loves to share a favourite story of her late therapy dog Bert, also a Brittany, who affectionately coaxed a withdrawn senior out of his emotional shell.

“Bert loved to visit, and there was a fellow in long-term care. He didn't react to anything. He never smiled. He never acknowledged anything. But when Bert walked up, he put his head underneath the fellow’s hands. He had big hands, and they spread out, and massaged Bert’s head. Soon, the fellow got the biggest grin I’ve ever seen. This is what it’s all about.”

Volunteering has positively impacted her life in many ways, adds Bartman.

“If I hadn’t been doing this, I wouldn’t have met so many good people in our community, Shauna included. I’ve made new friends. I’ve learned stuff. Volunteering enriches your life. It really does. I giggle all the time and tell myself, ‘I play piano and take my dog around because I'm earning brownie points’ for good karma when I’ll need it down the road.”

Becoming a healthcare volunteer has never been easier, thanks to a streamlined process, says James. “I like to ask prospects: ‘What are you interested in? What would you like to do?’ I arrange an interview where I go through everything with them, followed by online training.”

Volunteers here – both young and old – also support activities in recreational therapy, coffee and ice-cream carts, wayfinding, water delivery and, of course, a perennial favourite — BINGO! “Yeah, they love bingo,” adds James.

Ignite Volunteerism is the theme of this year’s National Volunteer Week, which runs April 19 to 25 — and it seems to have lit up the enthusiasm of community youth (teens 13 and up are eligible to volunteer).

“Our schools are so engaged, especially our Catholic schools here in Brooks. I can't keep up with the number of volunteers who want to come to our hospital,” says James. “We’re doing stuff to kind of get kids out of their box — food surveys, treat carts, visiting with our patients and the elderly, wayfinding — it's been really positive.”

Language is hardly a barrier to giving. Newcomers can also reap the rewards of volunteering, says James.

“We have a diverse community in Brooks. Extremely diverse. I'm very proud of one lady we recruited. She came from Ukraine. She was 62. She didn't know a lick of English. When she reached out, I said, ‘I'm going to help this lady. She wants to help.’ So we started a program called Mealtime Delivery of Trays in Acute Care. We took her under our wing — and today she comes by every weekend — and she loves it.”

Bartman’s generosity to her community radiates well beyond healthcare. She’s also a beloved friend to generations of area residents and schoolchildren, having driven school bus from 1989 until her retirement earlier this year.

“I’m also very into our Brooks and District Fish and Game Association. If you want to see what we do, go to our website. On top of our preservation of wildlife habitat and fisheries, we’ve planted something like 15,000 trees in the last five years.”

“Sally drives the county bus, too, and helps our seniors in the community on a casual basis. She’s always helping and giving.” says James. “It’s crazy impressive how involved Sally is in our community. She’s awesome.”

The late television icon, and beacon of kindness, Mister (Fred) Rogers famously said: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

In Brooks and Bassano, Sally Bartman is never more than a glance away.

Volunteering is an excellent way to explore new careers, learn useful skills, give back to your community and make new friends. Learn more about how you can become a healthcare volunteer.