VALDOSTA — Jeremy Henry was named Teen Volunteer of the Year for Georgia during the 36th annual meeting for the Georgia Society of Nursing Home Activity Directors in Jekyll Island.
At age 14, Henry began building lifelong relationships at Lakehaven Nursing Home in Valdosta. He dedicates 20 hours a week to the residents, coming in after school, on weekdays, and spending his Saturdays volunteering as well. During the summer, he has been known to “work” 40 hours a week from his heart, not paid.
Nichole Whitley, activity director, said, “Jeremy has been doing an outstanding job going on four years, all with a smile on his face. The residents think of him as a friend, grandson, and the go-to guy. Their faces light up every time they see him. He visits all 90 residents in the nursing home.”
Henry plays the guitar or piano for them while singing a melody, serves them, cracks jokes, escorts them, throws personal birthday parties, reads devotionals, and listens to them. He helps decorate and serve at parties, pushes and encourages patients to attend group activities, handles resident’s mail, maintains facility scrapbook, and assists staff in anything he can.
“These are just a few examples of what he does for all of us at Lakehaven Nursing Home,” Whitley said. “We all love Jeremy and jokingly tell him he needs to just move in with us.”
Henry attends Valdosta State University, where he is studying music education.
Local News
Jeremy Henry named Teen Volunteer of the Year for Georgia
- Local News
-
-
VHS Class of 2012 graduates
Valdosta High School’s Class of 2012 gathered Friday night at the Valdosta State University PE Complex to celebrate the graduation of roughly 350 seniors.
-
Qualifying ends
Citizens engaged in their local political landscape will have plenty of options this July and November as dozens of candidates qualified on Friday.
-
Resident escapes from blaze
A citizen escaped an aggressive fire with only minor cuts and bruises Friday afternoon, as wind amplified the flames from the blaze that started inside of his St. Augustine Road residence.
-
Weekend preview with Brittany McClure
Find out what's going on this weekend with Brittany McClure.
-
Popular vendor taken out of the ballparks
With a wagon-load of fresh cakes, hot boiled peanuts and ice-cold bottled water she has witnessed generations of children, or as she refers to them, her angels, grow into adults with children of their own.
-
Three candidates file for election
Qualifications for Lowndes County general primaries continue with the addition of a couple new candidates interested in running for elected office.
-
City, county tax discussions stalled
Local Option Sales Tax “negotiations” between city and county officials have descended from open meetings to a stalemate, with no clear agreement on how the estimated $210 million in tax revenue should be split.
-
Valdosta High principal to retire
After one year as Valdosta High School principal, Rufus McDuffie has announced his retirement.
-
South Georgia’s Ace
High above war-torn Germany, World War II fighter ace Donald S. “Bush” Bryan led his flight toward an estimated 50 enemy aircraft.
-
Arraignment set for Quitman 11
The “Quitman Eleven” are scheduled to have an arraignment on May 29, Brooks County Courthouse, according to their attorney, Roy Copeland.
- More Local News Headlines
-
