The Power of Volunteers

A long time ago, I was in a meeting in the hospital setting and we were talking of some weighty matter and had expected the head administrator to have lunch with us for the meeting. The word came that he had to meet with the volunteers instead. We were a little disappointed and someone said so. Whomever made the comment lived to regret it. The Director of Nursing overheard the comment and launched on a ten minute monologue on the structure of health care itself as we knew it in the mid-seventies and how it was built on volunteers......

There were high school students that wheeled patients to and fro, there were the messengers, and the phone bank ladies and the gift shop and coffee shop ladies and the surgery lounge folks. In all, in that one hospital there were over 200 volunteers. Without them, we were in deep trouble. When you think of it, the economy of a lot of institutions--whether fire, hospital, nursing home...etc. was deeply affected by the volunteers. To make all those services paid for has changed the face of many instutitions.

Each year, our fair city has a short program called "Just Desserts" that happens in the atrium of the high school that honors volunteers of the community. It is one thing to work for money---it is another whole world to work for nothing but the pleasure of helping. There is a whole generation of folks that have been very dedicated to the volunteer work and they have made a huge impact here. Gradually we are seeing a changing of the guard as the new must step forth to take their places.

So. Do not hesitate. Step forward. It makes all the difference in the world.