LIMA — Lima Memorial Health Systems relies heavily on the work of volunteers for its daily operations. On Friday, those volunteers also contributed monetarily to the hospital, with a $60,000 donation from the volunteer auxiliary to help offset renovation costs to the hospital’s Family Birth Center.
“It means a lot,” auxiliary president Karen Phillips said. “I feel really great about being able to do that on behalf of the auxiliary. It takes a lot of hours donated by the ladies and gentlemen to raise the money.”
The money was raised through a variety of means, from the Lima Memorial gift shop and scrub sales through coffee carts and candy drives. The donation represents just over half of the auxiliary’s commitment to funding the already-completed improvements at the birth center.
“We’re really hoping we can reach that goal next year, and then we’ll pick another project,” Phillips said.
As appreciative as Lima Memorial CEO Michael Swick is for the donation, what means more to him is the time and talents that the volunteers bring to the facility.
“They’ve given over 52,000 hours in volunteering this year,” he said. “They’re always here with a smiling face. They’re the backbone of the hospital, and they’re the ones that everyone meets and greets when they come in the door. So while I appreciate the dollars, I actually appreciate their time and effort more.”
Swick noted that volunteers are often the unsung heroes of Lima Memorial.
“When people come into the hospital, they experience the volunteers, but they often don’t realize they’re experiencing them,” he said. “They see them in the pink smocks and outfits. But they provide an essential service here. They’re our hidden gems.”
Four volunteers were also honored for lifetime achievements, recognized as life members of the auxiliary with a minimum of 10 years of active volunteer service.
“I would strongly recommend this to anybody,” said Robert Thompson, one of the honorees. “It’s been a wonderful 20 years of service.”
Inspired to volunteer after being helped by a volunteer at a Florida hospital, Thompson found his experience to be very rewarding, emphasizing that there is an opportunity for everyone to volunteer.
“We have over 60 volunteer functions here,” he said. “If you can’t stand all day, you can sit down and be a host, or if you like sales, you can work in the gift shop.”
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