Morris Hospital Honors Volunteers for Dedicated Service
June 19, 2017, Morris, Illinois –Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers recently honored volunteers for donating 49,717 hours of service over the past year during a luncheon held at the Morris Country Club.
The program began with a welcome from Volunteer Manager Karen Nowosielski, followed by a moment of prayer lead by volunteer Julian Houston. After lunch, Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers’ President & CEO Mark Steadham addressed the volunteers, expressing his appreciation for the invaluable contributions they make to Morris Hospital.
“This past September was the 110-year anniversary of Morris Hospital,” Steadham said. “The day before the first patient was seen back in 1906, women from the community gathered together and formed the very first Ladies Auxiliary of Morris Hospital. Clearly, it was apparent from the very beginning that community support and volunteerism would be key to the success of our local community hospital.”
“I am so grateful to our volunteers for carrying on the same spirit of generosity, dedication and selflessness. Without a doubt, our volunteers help make Morris Hospital what it is today,” he said.
Over the past year, the hours donated by Morris Hospital volunteers translated into over 17,000 rides to medical appointments through the Patient Transportation Service. The 4,533 hours that volunteers gave to the Morris Hospital Auxiliary gift shop generated $48,000 in revenue that was donated to the Morris Hospital Foundation to provide important services and technology for patients. 2,979 hours of volunteer time donated to the surgical waiting room made a difference for over 6,000 families while they were anxiously waiting for a loved one in surgery.
Volunteers made a similar impact by staffing the main reception desk at the hospital, assisting at the Rhythm of Our Youth cardiac screening program at area high schools, maintaining the serenity garden and historical library, counseling seniors and low income community members who need guidance with their health insurance coverage, cheering up patients through the pet therapy program, and making keepsake baby hats, newborn Christmas stockings, and comfort pillows for patients undergoing cancer treatment.
The following volunteers were recognized for achieving milestones in their service hours:
Batavia
Thomas Meyer, 100 hours
Braidwood
Peggy Swick, 1,000 hours
Phillip Swick, 1,000 hours
Channahon
Wallace Farrar, 500 hours
Coal City
Robert Ames, 1,500 hours
Sandi Christensen, 100 hours
David Gowdy, 2,500 hours
Carol Williams, 500 hours
Diamond
Jennifer Styx, 100 hours
Paul Styx, 100 hours
Dwight
Ginger Bjelland, 100 hours
Nancy Bjelland, 100 hours
Judy Cashmer, 100 hours
John Galik, 100 hours
Mazon
Ralph Binion, 4,000 hours
Marseilles
Larry Mitchell, 9,500 hours
David Prater, 5,000 hours
Jerald Sebby, 100 hours
Morris
John Almer, 1,000 hours
James Arnold, 1,000 hours
Laurie Biskie, 1,000 hours
Tom Biskie, 1,500 hours
Carol Button, 500 hours
Debbie Calvert, 100 hours
William Capper, 7,000 hours
John Connon, 500 hours
Jo Dergo, 2,000 hours
Richard Dice, 500 hours
Jeri Dolezal, 35,000 hours
Terri Edney, 100 hours
Mel Fight, 7,000 hours
David Goodale, 1,000 hours
Herbert Hain, 5,500 hours
Joyce Hain, 3,000 hours
Eunice Hayse, 7,000 hours
Larry Heck, 500 hours
Sharon Houston, 2,500 hours
Gretchen Johnson, 7,000 hours
James Jongewaard, 1,500 hours
Audrey Kaufman, 1,000 hours
Luella Kellogg, 2,500 hours
Sherry Korthauer, 3,000 hours
George Kresse, 7,500 hours
Gary Kuntz, 2,000 hours
Judy Kuntz, 4,500 hours
Peggy Leach, 3,500 hours
Robert Limbach, 2,500 hours
Raymond Lisy, 4,000 hours
Sandy Lisy, 1,000 h ours
Suzanne Lock, 100 hours
Carol Martin, 500 hours
Diane Miranda, 1,000 hours
Kay Morris, 1,000 hours
Penny Nance, 1,500 hours
Gloria Neal, 100 hours
Lori Neary, 100 hours
Josetta Nelson, 500 hours
James O’Hara, 8,500 hours
Char Orndorff, 1,000 hours
Gary Orndorff, 6,500 hours
Theresa Panzica, 2,500 hours
Lois Patnode, 1,000 hours
Raymond Paulson, 7,000 hours
Rowena Pfeifer, 1,000 hours
Ron Ragan, 7,500 hours
Fran Rivett, 2,500 hours
Judy Robowski, 4,500 hours
Donald Ryder, Jr., 2,500 hours
Michael Sanders, 2,500 hours
James Schaub, 500 hours
Sara Seidler, 500 hours
Mary Shoudis, 100 hours
Mary Skratulia, 100 hours
Bruce Smith, 500 hours
Raymond Stanford, 100 hours
Barry Summers, 1,500 hours
Donald Trejo, 5,500 hours
Virginia Walsh, 4,500 hours
Alan Williams, 500 hours
Herman Wisslead, 100 hours
Seneca
Bill Akre, 1,500 hours
Dorothy Akre, 500 hours
Ted Grandys, 1,500 hours
Diana Green, 100 hours
Tommy Koger, 1,000 hours
Mark Victor, 500 hours
St. Charles
Dennis Mahoney, 100 hours
South Wilmington
Charlotte Finn, 1,000 hours
Sylvia Zdeb, 500 hours
Wilmington
Pete Collins, 100 hours
Bernie Shields, 9,000 hours
For more information on volunteering at Morris Hospital, visit morrishospital.org or call 815-705-7022.
Serving patients at 25 locations in 11 communities, Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers includes the 89-bed Morris Hospital, as well as physician offices in Braidwood, Channahon, Dwight, Gardner, Marseilles, Mazon, Minooka, Morris, Newark, Ottawa and Yorkville. Through the services of over 1,700 healthcare professionals, physicians and volunteers, Morris Hospital provides lifesaving cardiac intervention with angioplasty and stents, a radiation therapy center for cancer patients, a state-of-the-art intensive care unit, and immediate care services at three locations. Morris Hospital is a Level II trauma center, a Level II perinatal care provider with an intermediate care nursery, and a Primary Stroke Center. Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers is a recipient of The Advisory Board Company’s 2017 Workplace of the Year Award for having outstanding employee engagement and was named on Becker’s Hospital Review’s 100 Great Community Hospitals list in 2016 and 2017.
