In honor of National Volunteer Week, we interviewed 3 CMH Auxiliary members who volunteer in various regions of VCU Well being Neighborhood Memorial Hospital.
Darleen Ferguson
A resident of Lawrenceville, Darleen Ferguson has volunteered at VCU Well being CMH in the auxiliary for six years. She largely supports the second-floor surgical waiting location but fills in at the front desk when required. She loves to greet the family members members and place them at ease though they are waiting for their loved ones to come out of surgery.
“I delight in producing conversation with them and taking their thoughts off their be concerned,” Ferguson stated.
Ferguson is not 1 to shy away from a challenge. In Could, she graduates from Southside Virginia Neighborhood College with a Laptop and Workplace Fundamentals profession research certificate. She will also be inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa honor society. Then in June she will take charge of the CMH Auxiliary as president. Ferguson also serves on the scholarship committee that supports CMH staff who are furthering their careers by earning degrees and plans on placing her new personal computer certificate to excellent use.
Kenny Pitts
Most people today know Kenny Pitts, of South Hill, as the former postmaster in South Hill. He retired in 2012 right after 38 years in the U.S. Postal Service. A previous CMH Auxiliary president with seven years of service on the group, he now serves on the board and 5 committees.
“The point I like most about volunteering is serving other individuals and providing back to the neighborhood,” Pitts stated. “We have some fine health-related pros in South Hill. We are fortunate to have top quality employees and the lovely new hospital is a blessing for our communities.”
Pitts served as president for the duration of the pandemic and kept it going in spite of volunteers not getting permitted to perform in the facility due to COVID-connected restrictions.
“The CMH Auxiliary is constantly hunting for new volunteers,” Pitts stated. “The final handful of years when we could not volunteer due to the pandemic. We saw our volunteer rolls drop off really a bit.”
There’s a lot of perform going on behind the scenes. The CMH Auxiliary runs the hospital present shop, with all proceeds benefiting the CMH Foundation. In truth, the present shop is 1 of the hospital’s biggest supporters with $1.six million provided considering the fact that its inception in 1954.
“I would like to thank Lois White and Dottie Collins who co-chair our present shop,” Pitts stated. “They do a terrific job.”
Virginia Lucy
Virginia Lucy, of South Hill, has volunteered with the CMH Auxiliary as extended as most people today perform for their complete careers: 43 years. Through that time, she also served as Auxiliary president and president of the Virginia Association of Auxiliaries and Volunteers for hospitals statewide. You will locate her in the Fish Bowl present shop, but she has also worked at the Information and facts Desk and served on several committees.
Lucy enjoys meeting people today and anticipating their demands. You can locate practically something you want in the present shop.
“A buyer came rushing in 1 day hunting for a telephone charger for his wife who was a patient,” Lucy stated. “Chargers had just been added to the inventory. So, we had a pleased buyer and a pleased wife.”
Lucy remembers what the present shop was like in the old hospital.
“When I joined the Auxiliary and began operating in the present shop, we sold cigars, cigarettes, candy and a handful of present products. Instances have changed,” Lucy stated. “I enjoy to aid a new dad hunting for a present for his wife and their newborn or the grandparents choosing up a blanket or ‘lovey’ for the new infant.”
How to aid
The CMH Auxiliary is at the moment hunting for extra volunteers. If you would like to be a aspect of the terrific items the CMH Auxiliary is undertaking at CMH, applications could be picked up in the present shop from ten a.m. to four p.m. everyday or by going to the web site.