Josh Sosebee canning for a cause with resident Lillian Scott
Josh Sosebee, an incoming senior at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School, will soon be able to add American Health Care Association’s Volunteer of the Year to his resume.
Mr. Sosebee, who turns 18 in September, will be honored at the nationwide organization’s convention in Phoenix, AZ, from Oct. 6–9.
“It was a really big shock when I found out,” said Mr. Sosebee.
Mr. Sosebee, who has volunteered at Life Care Center of East Ridge for five years, also won the Tennessee Health Care Association’s Volunteer of the Year Award in 2012.
Mr. Sosebee created Canning for a Cause, a weekly program to can vegetables and other items to raise money for organizations that residents support. He also formulated a men’s discussion program and organizes activities like poker and model car events. Residents particularly enjoy helping with the local animal shelter’s adoption events through Josh’s Pet Adoption Program.
“I really like helping the residents and getting to do different things with them that I don’t normally do,” Mr. Sosebee shared.
“Josh’s intention is to better the lives of men and women who may feel as if society has passed them by,” said Beecher Hunter, president of Life Care Centers of America. “He acknowledges the residents’ importance by his gifts of time, attention, compassion and kindness. He is a builder of intergenerational bridges.”
Mr. Sosebee has impacted the volunteer pool at Life Care Center of East Ridge. Whenever the facility holds a special event, he brings a friend, and more often than not, those friends continue to volunteer.
“There is no one better than Josh at sitting one-on-one with residents,” said Ben Zani, executive director at Life Care Center of East Ridge. “We will often send him in to speak with our more difficult residents, as he can reach them in a way that no one else can.”
For more information, please contact Christian McDonald, activity director at Life Care Center of East Ridge, at 423 894-1254.