HERMISTON, OR – Famous American author and humorist, Erma Bombeck once said, “Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain loving one another,” a sentiment that is reflected by the Volunteers at Good Shepherd Health Care System (GSHCS).
On June 15, 2016, the GSHCS Volunteers – Auxiliary, CareVan medical transport, and Vange John Memorial Hospice volunteers hosted their annual awards luncheon to honor those who have given of their time, talent, and energy to support in the caring of the communities served by GSHCS. According to Cindy Schaan, director of volunteer services at GSHCS, “In the 2015-2016 fiscal year, volunteers contributed over 14,000 man hours, to put that in monetary terms would be worth about $330,000 of salaries in that year.
This year the auxiliary raised $14,000 through gift shop sales, bake sales, and book fairs, for GSHCS to use toward needed medical equipment. But that isn’t all they gave! During the luncheons presentation, VP of Human Resources, Kelly Sanders, acknowledged all the volunteers for their contributions over the past year, and the auxiliary for providing five medical scholarships for employees of GSHCS wanting to continue their education, and to community members achieving degrees in the medical field. “It is such a privilege for us to have a volunteer group that is interested in providing education opportunities for our community and employees. This really gives us an advantage of growing our own employees and helping them achieve the health care career they have a desire to achieve,” shared Sanders.
During the presentation, President and CEO of GSHCS, Dennis Burke, gave an update on the state of the health system, including his recent trip to Washington D.C., to speak in front of the House Judiciary Committee on the False Claims Act, update on physician recruiting, new construction going to take place, the bright future envisioned for the health care services provided at GSHCS, and closing with thanking the volunteers for all they do to contribute to the success of GSHCS.
So if you can relate to the opening statement by Ms. Bombeck, then membership in the auxiliary and volunteering at GSHCS may be of interest to you. Members help in many capacities representing the hospital; managing the gift shop, managing the thrift shop, attending the desk for day surgery, supporting the very busy education department, and giving tours to preschool groups. “Service with a smile and the extra attention to patients are values that we adhere too,” says Auxiliary Secretary, June Rosenberg. If you are considering becoming a member of the GSHCS Auxiliary, applications are available through the Director of Volunteer Services, Cindy Schaan, 541-667-3690, or stop by the gift shop to pick one up.
#### Good Shepherd Health Care System (GSHCS) is a progressive non-profit community health system located in Hermiston, Oregon founded in 1954 by a group of well-minded community members wanting to make an impact on the community by providing health care services in the form of a fully functioning acute care hospital. Accredited by Det Norske Veritas, GSHCS has grown to provide inpatient care, emergency services, same-day
surgery, health education classes and events, and a wide range of outpatient imaging and lab services. Additional services include primary and specialty care offered by the Good Shepherd Medical Group, Home Health, Good Shepherd Clinic Pharmacy (with locations in Hermiston and Boardman), Vange John Memorial Hospice, Home Medical Equipment retail outlet, and the Good Shepherd Community Health Foundation.
