Courtesy photo Jefferson Medical Center volunteers who were recognized for hours of service at the National Volunteer Week luncheon were presented pins for their cumulative volunteer hours. They are pictured left to right: Lois Hostler (1000), Jane Sechler (100), Nancy McLoughlin (1000), Vice President of Operations Neil McLaughlin, Ruth Smith (1000) and Volunteer Coordinator Nancy Morgan.

To celebrate National Volunteer Week, WVU Medicine Jefferson Medical Center hosted a luncheon honoring its 28 volunteers on April 18.

The center’s auxiliary members and chaplains enjoyed a special lunch in the hospital’s first floor conference room.

“It’s an annual celebration and time that we can thank the volunteers for all that they do to support Jefferson Medical Center and our patients. The volunteers look forward to this event every year,” said WVU Medicine Vice President of Marketing and Development Teresa McCabe. “This year, the auxiliary volunteered a total 5,385 hours of service hours.”

McCabe said the center often equates each year’s service hours to the number of hours a full-time employee would work in a year. The volunteer hours from 2017, according to McCabe, saved the hospital from having to hire and pay two full-time employees.

“We appreciate all they do-the impact they have of donating their time certainly helps,” McCabe said. “And then the auxiliary, with the fundraisers and the chaplains assisting at all hours of the day or night with patient and staff spiritual needs and comfort and support, makes a huge difference here.”

As part of the annual luncheon, volunteers received pins from Volunteer Coordinator Nancy Morgan, recognizing their service hours from the past year. JMC Vice President of Operations Neil McLaughlin gave a brief speech, thanking them for their contributions to the hospital.

Jefferson Medical Center’s chaplains were also honored for their volunteer efforts in providing spiritual support for patients, families and staff. The list of those honored includes Chaplain Bill Ball, Chaplain Lee Brumback of Saint Thomas Lutheran Church, Chaplain James L. Freeman Jr. of Mount Zion Assembly of God, Chaplain Richard A. Kroll of Asbury United Methodist Church (retired), Chaplain John S. Ledford, Chaplain Luther Osment, Chaplain Jason Powell of Grace Baptist Church, Chaplain Timothy Robinson, Chaplain Donald Taylor of Wainwright Baptist Church, Chaplain Duane Jensen of Asbury United Methodist Church and Chaplain Tonya Armstrong of Kingdom Life Cathedral Ministries.

“National Volunteer Week is an opportunity for Jefferson Medical Center to not only honor its volunteers, but to also create awareness of volunteer opportunities within its hospital,” McCabe said.

“In order to be a volunteer at Jefferson, you have to be a member of the auxiliary,” McCabe said. “The focus of the auxiliary is to host fundarisers, run the gift shop and make money to go back to purchases for the hospital. Many of them also volunteer their time in other areas of the hospital, like the information desk, patient care areas and emergency department.”

The Jefferson Medical Center is actively seeking volunteers, and specifically needs more to help in the auxiliary’s gift shop, which combines all of its and its fundraiser proceeds to buy necessary equipment for the hospital. In the past, they have donated everything from a CPR mannequin, to newborn hearing screening equipment, to vein finders.

For more information on volunteering at Jefferson Medical Center, call the marketing department at 304-264-1223.