At a recent long-term care provider meeting sponsored by the Department of Health & Senior Services, Baptist Homes & Healthcare Ministries was commended for innovation through the Senior Deer Hunt initiative. A week later, I had the privilege of leading a presentation at the LeadingAge annual meeting on “Outside the Box Activities for Seniors”, highlighting the ripple effect of positive change these hunts have provided that exceeded our original ambitions.
This season marks the third year for the senior hunts at Arcadia Valley, Ozark, and Ashland. 2024 is the second year of the hunts at the Tri-County campus in Vandalia. New this year will be the addition of team member hunts. A single deer provides an average of 40 pounds of ground meat (used like hamburger), 10 pounds of prime cuts (the filet mignon of venison), and 15 pounds of roasts. The goal of the new team member hunts is to provide a memorable experience in God’s creation with a seasoned colleague and the hoped-for blessing of locally sourced protein for their family. Having team member hunts aligns with Baptist Homes Strategic Initiative #2, Supporting Employee Retention.
One unexpected benefit of the senior hunts has been the support of churches and individuals. Generally, 10-20 volunteers support each hunt. Their involvement includes planting wildlife plots that benefit all critters, mentoring residents and team members who are new to hunting, leading the required training in conservation, hunting ethics, deer biology, and safety, along with assisting with the setup and takedown of ADA-accessible hunting blinds. When animals are harvested, volunteers provide the needed support in getting the meat from the field to the freezer.
Many of these volunteers continue to communicate with residents long after the hunts. Baptist Homes is truly blessed to enjoy the support of churches and individuals who share their time and talents to enrich the lives of our team members and neighbors. Some domino effects of the hunts have been fishing tournaments, the stocking of a pond for fishing at Ashland, and expanded gardening opportunities at several campuses.
Volunteer opportunities at Baptist Homes are nearly unlimited. Whether it is taking a walk with a resident or reading the Bible to a new neighbor, the common feedback from volunteers echoes the words of Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over—will be poured into your lap.”
It is likely that every reader has a gift, talent, interest or ability that could be leveraged to make a senior’s day brighter. I pray that you will consider how you might steward your talents to bring about a domino effect of blessings for the aging.
Together in His service,
Dr. Rodney Harrison
President/CEO
