LWMC HONORS VOLUNTEERS
(Lake Wales Medical Center Volunteer of the Year Ellen Donohue, left, is congratulated by HIM Director Deb Narayan.)
Lake Wales, FL – Lake Wales Medical Center lauded its hospital volunteers recently at a special luncheon held in their honor.
“Our volunteers, in many ways, are the lifeblood of the hospital,” said Julie Sing, Director of Volunteer Services at the hospital. “An army of nearly 100 volunteers helps behind the scenes and in public areas of the hospital, doing all kinds of tasks. They donated more than 16,000 hours last year. They do it simply because they want to help make their community better, and we truly appreciate the invaluable service they provide to the hospital staff, patients and visitors.
Ellen Donohue, who volunteers in medical records, was named Volunteer of the Year.
“She is proactive, doesn’t wait to be told what to do, is efficient and catches items that need to be corrected,” a hospital employee wrote in nominating Ellen for the honor. “If she knows that another volunteer will not be available to come in, or if she knows there is work to be done, she will come in on her days off.”
Echoing that sentiment, Sing added, “Ellen has even been known to take neighbors to doctor appointments, and then come in to the hospital to volunteer while she waits for them to finish their appointments.”
Jack Hamilton, a former Volunteer of the Year recipient, was honored with the Dedication to Service Award. Jack, who volunteers at the main lobby information desk, is always pleasant, always has a smile, is a great helper, and is always willing to pick up extra shifts when needed.
“Jack is one of those people who everyone in the building knows and loves,” Sing said. “If Jack is ever gone on a trip or not at the hospital for a while, employees start asking me where he is. He’s missed when he’s not here. And he takes great care of our visitors when he’s here.”
The hospital also awarded several Community Cares awards, which are given to volunteers who exemplify the spirit of the hospital’s Community Cares culture of making patients and visitors feel like family when they’re at the hospital. The Community Cares recipients are:
- Marilyn Gibson, Admitting and Registration
- Edwin Friedlander, Gift Shop
- Jessica McPhail, Main Lobby Information Desk
- Alan Powell, who plays guitar and sings for patients in the hospital’s geriatric psychiatric unit
- Marcia Chatfield, Hunt Lobby Information Desk
The hospital also awarded service hour pins to the following volunteers:
9,500 hours: David Fehser
3,500 hours: Edwin Friedlander and Marianne Siders
3,000 hours: Jane Beai, Susan Fehser, Barbara Hitchcock, Peggy Sabatino and Gloria Wurth
2,000 hours: Mary Hudnell, Mary Beth McGill, Mike Oftedahl, and Rosemary Quinlan
1,500 hours: Marilyn Gibson, Mary Luhr, Jessica McPhail, Lois Sessions and Betty VanDellen
1,000 hours: Lorraine Bundick, Jack Hamilton, Stephanie Jester and Al Marple
500 hours: Ellen Donohue, Suzanne Mulkin and Beverly Stillwagon
100 hours: Linda Beaty, Bill Burke, Peg Champion, Clarice Evans, Janet Felton, David Holeton, Lynda Perry, Jerry Juniper, Katie Schnarre, Sharon Stanzione, Lois Stark, Sue Turoski, and Barbara Mustefeld.
Lake Wales Medical Center is a 160-bed acute care hospital that has been providing excellent patient care to Lake Wales and the surrounding communities since 1928. For more information about becoming a hospital volunteer, call Julie Sing at 863-240-0967.
