Health Closet Needs 20 Volunteers to Keep Program Alive

For years, two dedicated volunteers have quietly made sure that anyone in New Hampshire and Vermont who needs a wheelchair, shower chair, or hospital bed can get one for free.

Now the Health Closet program faces a critical moment. The Hanover Lions Club needs at least 20 volunteers to form a new club that will keep this lifeline running, and they need to find a new 2,000 square foot location by March 15.

John Bayliss and Harry Armstrong have run the program together for many years from a shared warehouse space in Lebanon. They collect donated equipment, repair items that need fixing, and deliver everything from bed rails to wheelchairs to people throughout the region. No one pays a penny.

The current space at 325 Mount Support Road is leased by Hypertherm, which has generously shared its warehouse. But that lease ends in March when Cornerstone Charter School plans to move in. Without a new home, the equipment may end up scattered across members' garages and barns.

As of last Friday, only six people had applied to join the new club. The group needs 14 more volunteers who are 18 or older to make it official.

Sunny's Take

What makes this story special is how simple the ask really is. There's no minimum time commitment. Volunteers can help remotely with logistics and coordinating donations, or show up in person to sort equipment and help with deliveries.

"There is no hard and fast expectation other than people do what they can," said William "Star" Johnson, a Hanover Lions Club member helping with the effort. Once enough people sign up, the group will form a board, assign roles like treasurer, and create structure that makes volunteering even easier.

The ideal new location would be near Interstate 89 or Interstate 91, with heat and a bathroom. Johnson and Bayliss are actively searching, but the volunteer shortage is the bigger challenge. "Volunteers are few and far between these days," Bayliss said.

The equipment they provide changes lives. People recovering from surgery, caring for aging parents, or managing disabilities can access what they need without the financial burden. The program serves anyone who asks, no questions about income or insurance.

Twenty people stepping up could mean this quiet act of community care continues for years to come.

Those interested can reach Johnson at 603-381-8603 or star@biggreenre.com.