At a recent volunteer appreciation banquet, Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center leaders recognized the hospital’s 143 volunteers for the 18,300 hours of time they contributed to the hospital in 2011.
“From 2010 until now, we went from an average of 60 volunteers to 143 volunteers currently,” said Deborah Rochelle, manager of volunteers and guest services for the hospital. “In addition, we increased from approximately 10,000 volunteer hours in 2010 to more than 25,000 hours in 2012. The volunteer contribution is remarkable.”
With the move from Brunswick Community Hospital to the new Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center in 2011, many new volunteer roles were added and interest in volunteering at the hospital grew in the community, Rochelle said. In addition to the number of hours given, other volunteer contributions that were celebrated included the 19 percent increase in funds raised through volunteer fundraisers, the thousands of newspapers that were delivered by volunteers to patients during the year, and the hundreds of recycled notepads created and distributed in 2012. Hospital volunteers were also able to donate three $1,500 healthcare scholarships to Brunswick Community College nursing students in 2012.
Special recognition went to the three hospital volunteers who have contributed the most hours in their tenure: Richard Seidler, 4,200 hours; Faye Ann Nichols, 4,500 hours; and Carolyn Moskowitz, 5,700 hours.
“Every day, volunteers at Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center give unselfishly of themselves, from the smile and greeting at the door to the assistance someone needs in the surgical waiting room or the gift for the new baby,” Rochelle said. “Our volunteers are truly exceptional people.”
During 2012, the Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center volunteer group received a five-star award from the North Carolina Hospital Volunteer association. The five-star award is this association’s highest recognition. The Brunswick volunteers also received the 2013 North Carolina Governor’s Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service recognizing the group’s work on the compassionate clothes closet project, which provides clothing to patients who may not have otherwise had clothes to wear home when they leave the hospital.
In addition to the medical center’s traditional volunteers, the hospital’s volunteer chaplains and numerous home volunteers were recognized at the luncheon for their contributions. The chaplains provide volunteer chaplaincy services to hospital patients 24 hours per day, seven day a week, and the home volunteers knit blankets for newborns and senior patients as well as caps for the hospital’s newborns. In addition, home volunteers sew teddy bears for children who are patients at the hospital and knit prayer shawls.
For more information on Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center’s volunteer program or to request an application, call 910-721-1484 or visit the volunteer section of our website.
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