LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Staff at Mercy Health-St. Rita's finally gets the chance to thank the men and women who volunteer at the hospital every year.
Because of the pandemic, it has been 2019 since they have been able to hold their volunteer appreciation luncheon. So, they picked the appropriate theme for their comeback in "Roaring in the 20s". The volunteers help in various parts of the hospital and show their support for the medical center's vision by helping raise money for needed improvements, like the auxiliary's one-million-dollar commitment to the graduate medical education program. We ask some of them what they see is their impact on visitors and staff at the hospital.
"It is serving people and helping people and being able to give somebody maybe hope as they stop by," says Ruth Ann Bowman, who has been a volunteer since 1999. "And I work in the gift shop and so sometimes you get people in there that just need to talk and unload, and that is what is exciting about it, you meet different people every day."
"I certainly like the people," says Mike Dew, who has been volunteering for 4 years. "I volunteer in the emergency department. I like going in very early as they are getting off shift, and the change of people that moves through, I important for them to see a volunteer, the people who work through the night. Also, the interaction of the public as they come in and need attention."
"I have been volunteering with the spiritual care department, giving holy communion and I think I see the most satisfaction there," says Sue Dew, who has been volunteering for over 20 years. "Because when people are ill and they get a visitor and just the chance to pray with them and have a little chat is the best."
Also during the luncheon, Mercy Health presented Mark Miller, the director of St. Rita's Volunteer and Auxiliary Resources with the Legacy Award for all that he has done for the medical center.
