Adam Prudhomme
Editor
In 1963, before shovels even hit the ground for construction of Lennox and Addington County General Hospital, volunteers were working behind the scene to make it happen.
Originally known as the LACGH Auxiliary, they’ve since been re-branded as LACGH Volunteer Services-still fulfilling a crucial role, even if that role has evolved over the decades. Though volunteers have come and gone those 60 years, to this day the faces behind the bright red vests continues to play a huge role at the hospital.
As the hospital enters the post-COVID world, they’re once again calling on members from the community to step up and volunteer their time to assist in a variety of capacities.
“We’ve been back a year, we’re coming back slowly,” said LACGH Volunteer Services president Susan Jack. “As the hospital opens up more departments were recruiting more volunteers. It’s hard, a lot of them don’t want to come back, which is understandable, they found other areas over the last three years.”
Following COVID, volunteers were re-assigned tasks so as to limit their contact with patients. Today their main roles include operating the front courtesy desk, gift shop, and coffee shop while also assisting with clinics such as mammography and bone density.
“The coffee shop’s always open, you serve light snacks, sandwiches, teas, coffees, bagels and cookies and they have different kinds of coffee every month,” said Beryl Jacka, volunteer coordinator with Volunteer Services. “There’s always interesting things in the gift shops. At the front desk they greet people as they come in and give people whatever help they need if they need help finding a place or registering in the kiosk or they help with wheelchairs if they need it. Anything they need, always with a bright smile.”
For some volunteering has become a family affair, with sons and daughters following in the footsteps of the parents and becoming volunteers themselves. The hospital recently celebrated dedicated volunteers Barb Hicks, Jackie Gordanier, Cathie Vick and Maddy Cassidy as they have each served over 55 years as hospital volunteers.
Today the hospital has a roster of approximately 125 volunteers-down for the upwards of 300 it had just a few years earlier. They’re actively recruiting to help bring those numbers back up as the hospital re-opens to full capacity.
“The volunteers that are here now are great,” said Jack. “They really step up. With have quite a few with outstanding service pins because they’re always willing, which you need in a volunteer organization.”
Part of what makes the volunteers so successful is the fact the hospital staff, starting at the top, welcomes them.
“We serve at the pleasure of the hospital so we don’t overstep,” said Volunteer Services secretary Alice Carlson. “Also we were embraced by the CEO (Wayne Coveyduck). We have three volunteer parking spots. He doesn’t even have his own parking spot.”
Those interested in finding out more about volunteer operations can contact Jacka at 613-354-2562 or bjacka@lacgh.napanee.on.ca. More information can also be found on their website lacgh.napanee.on.ca.