Volunteers lead a clay session with long-term care residents at the Crowsnest Pass Health Centre on Oct. 6.
Nicholas L.M. Allen photo
Nicholas L. M. Allen
Oct 8, 2025
Volunteers’ clay program engages residents and highlights need for more helpers
A volunteer-led clay program at the Crowsnest Pass Health Centre’s long-term care unit was described by volunteer Cori MacGregor and volunteer coordinator Madison Hayley as creative, adaptable and dependent on community help.
MacGregor said the project began with a commitment to show up for residents after her father became a resident at the facility.
“When my dad first got brought here, I promised them, I said, I will be the best volunteer you’ve ever had.”
She and Hayley worked through the auxiliary to launch the sessions and saw strong interest from the start.
“It has really taken off,” MacGregor said. “Everybody has a lot of fun. They really look forward to it.”
Sessions are set up with newspaper-covered tables and individual boards prepared by MacGregor and her husband. A prompt is offered but residents can follow their own ideas.
“Today we’re making owls,” she said. “They don’t have to do that if they don’t want to. We really want people to use their own creativity.”
Humour and camaraderie are part of the draw, including an inside joke about a frog project that kept the room laughing.
“We called it the stripper frog.”
The program adapts to different abilities. Some residents give verbal directions while volunteers shape pieces to their specifications. One former potter collaborates this way and follows her work through to firing.
“It touches my heart,” MacGregor said. “When she gets her pieces back from the kiln, there are tears in her eyes.”
Residents follow the process closely and ask about glazing, kiln returns and how to avoid sharp edges.
“They’ll grab me and say, when is our next clay time,” she said.
MacGregor said participation changes as residents’ situations change, which has reinforced the need for more helpers across the unit.
“As we get more people involved, we also need more volunteers,” she said. “Since COVID, volunteering has really taken a nosedive.”
Hayley said the program matched resident interests with a willing volunteer.
“Cori actually came to me and mentioned that she’s part of the pottery club here and does lots of work with clay,” she said. “She was very passionate about wanting to start this program.”
Early trials led to steady involvement from residents who may not join other activities.
“It started maybe a year ago with just a couple trials,” Hayley said. “It’s evolved into a program that 10, 11, 12 residents are interested in.”
Volunteers make one-to-one support possible during classes.
“We’re able to have a volunteer sit down one-on-one with a resident and work with them hands-on to create something that they want,” she said.
Hayley outlined Alberta Health Services orientation and training for volunteers, including dementia and wheelchair training and a mealtime assistance module.
“Volunteers will receive a site orientation,” she said. “They do an online orientation that goes over site protocols.”
Hayley estimated there are about 40 active volunteers, with the auxiliary running the tuck shop and funding programs such as clay.
“This program is completely funded by them.”
She said the biggest gaps are mealtime assistance and weekend activities for approximately 47 long-term care residents.
“Breakfast is the hardest time to get volunteers here for,” she said, also adding that, “We get a lot of feedback from residents just saying they’re bored” on weekends.
Hayley described visible effects during programs.
“Their faces lighten up, they start talking, they start telling stories about their past,” she said. “It’s a space to be creative.”
MacGregor listed practical support that helped get the program off the ground, including donated clay, glazes and tools, newspapers from the Pass Herald and protective plastic from Prestige Cleaners. She said Elk Valley Resources donated five iPads for a new reading group.
“I would just really encourage other businesses locally to ask what [they can] do for our residents in long-term care,” she said.
Both interviews emphasized simple, steady contact with residents and the value of additional volunteers.
“If you can spend 10 minutes even chatting with someone, it goes such a long way,” Hayley said.
Macgregor added that they would like to encourage more people to volunteer
“Whether you want to volunteer for a clay program or you just want to come in and visit with someone or take them out for a walk,” she said.
