King's Daughters salutes dedicated volunteers

King's Daughters salutes its more than 250 dedicated volunteers by honoring their service at its annual appreciation luncheon.

Wherever you go throughout King's Daughters, volunteers can be found helping team members, providers, patients and families. Volunteers greet customers, show people how to find their way to their destination, work in the Auxiliary gift shop and assist Pastoral Care and more.

KDMC’s volunteer corps gave more than 34,000 hours of time in fiscal year 2015 alone, said Anne Sloan, director of volunteer services.

“The volunteer program at King’s Daughters has evolved just as the hospital has evolved,” she said. Today, there are opportunities across the medical center to make a difference.

New research suggests that baby boomers who volunteer increase their physical activity and have fewer physical limitations and improvements including heart health. The Harvard School of Public Health research also reveals that volunteers are more likely to take advantage of preventative health opportunities including cholesterol screening, mammograms, prostate exams and flu vaccines.

At KDMC, the reasons for volunteering are as many and varied as the number of volunteers, Sloan noted. Some volunteer for the social interactions, to make new friends or as an expression of a deeply felt commitment to help others. For others, volunteering provides structure and purpose. And some, Sloan said, volunteer on “doctor’s orders.”

As a token of appreciation, service award pins were presented by KDMC leaders to volunteers who served from 100 hours to 19,500 hours.

100 hours: Carl Artrip, Kathy Graber, Susan Helo, Chris Hofman, Judy Liles, Linda Sologic, Debbie Vicini, Terry Webb; 500 hours: Kathy Graeber; 1,000 hours: Mary Jo Dove, Joanne Gibson, Joy Price, Mary Vanderhoof, Carole Wellman; 1,500 hours: Sandra Bowman, Gwen Caproni, Ron Hunter, Mark Kloha, Beverly Sparks, Carole Wellman; 2,000 hours: Ed Erwin, Michael Moore, Leta Picklesimer, Darla Reed, Judy Weis;

2,500 hours: Bob Forte, Larry Frazier, Kaney Goble, Al Green, Nina Perry, John Steen, Mary Tatterson; 3,000 hours: Sandy Thornbury, Linda Turner; 3,500 hours: Bruce Abel, Norm Smith, Barbara Thomas; 4,000 hours: Anna Cooper, Amos Gearheart, Louise Holbrook; 4,500 hours: Darlene Allen, Mike Greene, Marty Gute, Nell Sutphin; 5,000 hours: Sheila Brown, Don Holbrook, Jim Newton, June Thompson

5,500 hours: Mike Amos, Jim England, Jerry Henderson; 6,000 hours: Larry Fraley, Phil Lewis; 6,500 hours: Phalia Blake, Phil Lewis, Donna Purvis; 7,000 hours: Maxine Fitzer, Mike Sagraves; 7,500 hours: Terry Stevens, Nancy Vanhoose; 8,000 hours: Betty Bellomy, Charlie Flannery; 10,500 hours: Skippy Simmerman; 11,000 hours: Skippy Simmerman; 12,500 hours: Ray McCann; 18,500 hours: Mary Smith; 19,000: Mary Smith; 19,500 hours: Mary Smith

“When you’re a volunteer at King’s Daughters, there is a real sense of belonging to a community that is giving back,” said Sloan.

For more information about volunteering, please visit kdmc.com or call (606) 408-0955.