Press Release

Burgess Honors Volunteers for Dedicated Service

More than Burgess Health Center volunteers were honored at an annual recognition dinner in early May as part of National Volunteer Week

Participants enjoyed a Hawaiian luau theme of food and décor. Gifts and certificates of recognition were awarded along with honors to the best dressed guests in tropical attire. They were Katherine Willey, Jackie Girdner, Lorraine Davis and Dorothy Hodgson.

“Volunteers provide both direct patient services here in the hospital and through hospice, and we have many volunteers working on fundraising projects to provide needed equipment," says Jean Pekarek who oversees volunteer services at Burgess. "Our volunteers are another very essential piece of the Burgess Vision – “To be the best rural healthcare system in America!”

In the past year, there were 81 active volunteers that tallied 9,015 hours of service, an increase of 812 hours over last year, according to Pekarek. The total hours for active volunteers equaled 85,786 hours, representing 41 years of full-time service.

Burgess volunteers work with the hospital gift shop, the Act II Consignment Shop, the Ventures craft show, the surgery waiting area hostess service, hospital mailings and greeting at the information desk.

Volunteers also deliver mail and juice to patients, visit hospice clients, knit baby caps and booties, provide baby layettes and New Year’s baby gifts, and help with blood donation and colon cancer screening promotion and perform other duties as the need occurs.

One of the most visible and positive changes for volunteers in the past year, Pekarek says, was the Burgess Auxiliary's move to the larger, all new Gift Shop just off the new Burgess lobby as part of the hospital’s expansion and renovation project.

"The services our volunteers provide make a vital difference in our patient’s experiences at Burgess," Pekarek says. "We were pleased to."

Burgess welcomed new volunteers in the past year, and is always open to more. To sign up, call Pekarek at 423-9201.