In celebration of National Volunteer Week, La Porte Hospital used a delicious luncheon to show their volunteers how much they mean to the community. Wednesday’s two-hour celebration was held at Silver Palace in La Porte. The luncheon is an annual tradition that recognizes the volunteers with a filling meal, decadent dessert, and a commemorative pin.
Volunteer Larry Johnson brought his father’s 2,500 Hour Pin with him to the ceremony. This year, Johnson reached the same milestone.
“The pin is an inspiration,” he said. “My mom and dad were volunteers back in the 80's, so volunteering is ingrained in the family. This is a milestone and it’s nice to be recognized but it’s about knowing you are making a difference. That’s the biggest thing. Just knowing that you are in service to someone that needs it.”.
Each pin has its volunteer’s number of hours served engraved on the face. The first milestone is 50 hours, then 100. Bob Kendick has dedicated the most time at the luncheon, totaling 21,000 hours. When a new milestone is reached, the pins are updated for presentation at the next luncheon.
With the ritual comes a personal thanks.
“The volunteers are a mainstay to our organization. They give so much of themselves and they are greatly appreciated by the staff. For us, they have become a part of the family and share in our celebrations,” said the Manager of the Emergency Department Keely Goolsby.
Volunteers touch nearly every department in the hospital. Johnson and his sister Lois work the front desk, answering calls and running errands for the staff. Pete Jenson comforts the families who wait with clenched knuckles for surgery updates. His wife, Becky, puts minds at ease as she escorts women to their mammograms.
“We’ve been retired from teaching for several years,” said Becky Jenson. The couple has been volunteering for almost a decade. “We’ve always wanted to volunteer at the hospital and an opportunity finally came up. We love it. We see families that are stressed and can make them smile.”
Over 31,000 hours were volunteered in 2016.
Volunteers apply like any other position at the hospital. One accepted, they get to choose which department they work in. Some have a skillset better suited to a certain field, others choose based on sentiment.
“These are people that care about their community,” said Amy Newman, the Director of Volunteer Services. “They have lots of talent and want to use their time to give that back to the community. They’re here to offer that warm, compassionate care to someone in need.”
The hospital is always looking for more volunteers. Interested parties can call 219-326-2338 for more information, or visit the La Porte Hospital website.
