Clearfield Hospital Honors Volunteers

Clearfield Hospital hosted a luncheon recently to honor its volunteers. Among those volunteering in the hospital are, front row, from left, Bernice Patrick, Evelyn Lewis, Diane Sutusky, Mitzi Stewart, Donna Shaw, Kris Strattan, Marie Cordiano and Delores Fye. Standing, from left, Gemma Schake, Joanne Sturniolo, Tony Sutusky, Lorna Simcox, Major Tom Shimshock, Bill O’Dell, Catherine Biancuzzo and Mary Kay Master.

Clearfield Hospital Hospice volunteers were recently honored at a luncheon hosted by the hospital. These volunteers include, seated, from left, Gemma Schake, Eleanor Bodle, Annie Lumadue, Dottie McBride, Gerri Jacobson, Charlotte Tibbens, Phyllis Bauman and Donna Veihdeffer. Standing, from left, are Bill Swisher, Judy Swisher, Don Dinant, Chassidy Flood, Jim Hummel, Tina Swales, Delores Fulesday, Carole Litz Cipriano and Marlene Yarger.

Clearfield Hospital feels fortunate to have so many wonderful volunteers and would encourage anyone interested in volunteering to give the hospital a call. For information on becoming a hospital volunteer, call Colleen Yeager at 814.768.2391. For information on becoming a hospice volunteer, call Dana Wilson at 814.768.2007.

Clearfield Hospital recently honored its volunteers for their hard work and dedication throughout the year by hosting a luncheon at the St. Charles Café The theme for this year’s celebration was “Clearfield Hospital Volunteers: One Person Can Make a Difference.”

Clearfield Hospital is proud of its more than 150 volunteers who serve in various capacities in the organizations. As Good Will Ambassadors, the hospital’s volunteers provide many extra services that add to the comfort, care, and happiness of patients, their families and visitors. They improve the quality of care and help contain medical expenses. Clearfield Hospital volunteers are invaluable to the everyday operation of many departments.

They create a friendly environment and brighten the day for hospital patients, as they assist with the special needs of patients and their families. Volunteers work in The Cottage and the Chaplaincy Program and are members of our Auxiliary. Some of them staff the Information Desk and the Emergency Room/Registration Desk to give directions to visitors. Volunteers work in the Ambulatory Care Unit to direct families of surgical patients and oversee the waiting room. Others provide escort services for patients.

Hospice is also blessed with outstanding volunteers. There are also administrative, cancer center, Lifeline, special project and comfort care volunteers who all give tirelessly of themselves.

Gratitude extended to volunteers

Jon Steen, vice president of support services, and Kathy Simmons, chief nursing officer, applauded the volunteers for their efforts throughout the year. Rev. Rodger J. Gorton gave the invocation. Representing the Clearfield Hospital Board of Directors was Chairman William E. Wood, who is also president of Clearfield Bank & Trust Co.

Also expressing her appreciation was Mary Sue Diehl, president of the hospital auxiliary. Ms. Diehl thanked Donna Shaw for the outstanding job she does managing The Cottage and for the endless hours she dedicates to the hospital. She thanked Ginny Johnson, program director for Lifeline, and Nina Johnson, director for the Comfort Care Program, for their hard work and dedication in their respective programs. She also thanked the other officers of the auxiliary: Gigi Gearhart, president-elect and Foundation for Health representative; Donna Shaw, vice president of membership; Gail Adams, treasurer; Lorna Simcox, assistant treasurer; and Theda Jean Lawhead, corresponding secretary.

Service Awards for cumulative hours of service

Colleen Yeager, volunteer coordinator, presented Service Award Pins to hospital volunteers for their cumulative hours of service to the hospital. Marie Cordiano, who works with Lifeline, was honored for 9,000 hours of service; Kris Strattan, who volunteers in the Chemo Clinic, as well as at the Information Desk and the Escort Service, was honored for 8,500 hours of service. Donna Shaw, manager of The Cottage Shop at the Hospital, and Ginny Johnson, Lifeline project coordinator, were honored for 8,000 hours of service. They were followed by Daphne Stepien, Cottage volunteer with 5,500 hours; Kate Ogden, Cottage volunteer with 4,000 hours; Joanne Sturniolo, Cottage volunteer and Tobe Woods, Escort/Information Desk volunteer, with 3500 hours; Mildred White, Information Desk, with 2,500 hours; Delores Fye and Bernice Patrick, Cottage volunteers, and Dick Gabrielson, Escort/Information Desk with 2,000 hours. Major Tom Shimschock and Nancy Yeager, Escort/Information Desk volunteers, were honored with 1,500-hour pins; Ken Braniff and Home Breault, Escort/Information Desk volunteers with 1,000 hours; Mitzi Stewart, Cottage volunteer with 1,000 hours; Evelyn Lewis, Information Desk volunteer, and Lorna Simcox, Cottage volunteer with 500 hours.

Catherine Biancuzzo, Cottage volunteer; Eric Johnson and Gemma Schake, Lifeline Volunteers; Mary Kay Master and Beverly Swift, cancer center volunteers; William O’Dell, Diane Sutusky and Tony Sutusky, Escort/Information Desk volunteers, and Lyle Kizina, Escort volunteer, with 100 hours.

Chaplaincy volunteers

The volunteers who work with the chaplaincy program at the hospital were also recognized. Sophie Butler, Evelyn Lewis, and Edith Merle have served as chaplaincy volunteers since the program’s inception in 1975 and have recently retired from the program.

Other chaplaincy volunteers are Joyce Michaels since 1980; May Grenus, Herman Neamy, and Florence Rogers since 1992; Richard Barkley, since 1993; Emmylu Accordino and Eugene Williams since 1994; Gail Kelly since 1997; Delores Fye since 1999, and Louise Lindberg since 2000; Eleanor Bodle, since 2005; and Virginia Marnati, since 2006. Delores Fye was thanked for the many years of taking on the task of scheduling the chaplaincy volunteers. Delores recently retired from scheduling but remains committed to the program. Betty Koozer and Alta Rishel also recently retired from the program. Rev. Rodger Gorton is the director of the chaplaincy program.

Hospice volunteers

Judy Hixon, hospice manager, addressed the hospice volunteers and thanked them for their commitment of time to the hospice program and how much their compassion and tenderness toward their patients is appreciated by the patients, their families, the hospice team, and the hospital.

Dana Wilson, hospice volunteer coordinator, presented recognition awards to Pauline Bennett for having the most patient hours, with more than 500 hours of service in 2007. Donald Dinant, Annie Lumadue, Ann Leach, Carole Litz Cipriano, Rev. Rodger Gorton, Phyllis Bauman, Judy Swisher, Betty Schenk, Marge Harvey and Ruth Shonce, were honored as having more than 100 hours of service each in the past year, while Laura Inlow, Tina Swales, Sandra Aurand, Louise Kennedy, Gemma Schake, Reverend Doug Pride, Delores Fulesday, Donna Veihdeffer, Milly Johnson, Eleanor Bodle, Chassidy Flood and Charlotte Tibbens were honored for giving more than 50 hours of service.

Ms. Wilson also mentioned the newest hospice volunteers: Patti Baker, Walt Casher, Earl Doran, Messina Hodson, Geraldine Jacobson, Carol Malone, Tina Swales, Jane Lee Yare, Marlene Yarger, Amanda Knight, Meagan McDermott, Shiann McGovern, Lauren McDole and Joshua Wilson. The last five new volunteers mentioned are teenagers.

Event Entertainment

Entertainment for the event was provided by Rachel Duke, who sang a selection of show tunes. Rachel is a fifth grade student at Clearfield Middle School and is a member of student council, band and orchestra. Rachel also takes piano, voice, and dance lessons. She is the daughter of David and Amy Duke of Clearfield.

Volunteer Opportunities

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