Making an Incredible Impact

On Monday, March 30, NCH celebrated more than 35 volunteers serving Marco Island with a luncheon and awards ceremony held at CJ’s on the Bay.

“Each and every one of the volunteers this season has been such a difference maker. I enjoy seeing the volunteers’ smiling faces and their purple shirts, knowing how much the staff relies on their help and how much their interactions with patients make a difference,” Shares Kaitlin Magdalener, Nurse Manager of the NCH Urgent Care on Marco, located in the Pat and Scot Kaufman Healthcare Center on the Steve and Barbara Slaggie campus.

Many awards were given to volunteers to acknowledge their contributions to various departments on Marco. The Volunteer of the Year award went to Susan Kirkham for going above and beyond to make the job of refurbishing supplies in the Urgent Care more efficient. The Distinguished Service Award went to one of our longest-serving volunteers, Joan Pidherny. A new award this year, “The Most Popular,” went to the newest addition to the volunteer program, a dog named Pablo Pawcasso, and his handler, Bridgett Budd.

“It’s nearly impossible to interact with Pablo and remain stressed and unhappy. His calm and comforting presence reinforces the nurturing atmosphere in the NCH medical facilities on the Island,” says Hilles Hughes, Community Engagement Specialist for NCH on Marco Island, “and we are very fortunate that we will be adding several more therapy dogs and their handlers very soon.”

Additional award winners include:

• Jean Kramer – Most Willing to Learn Volunteer
• Kathie Bongiovanni – Most Energetic
• Todd Stigall – Most Enthusiastic

The roles the volunteers play are as diverse as the volunteers themselves. From prepping patient rooms to managing inventory, to driving golf carts, to greeting patients, to updating database information, and participating in community outreach events, NCH volunteers share their talents with the Island community. For new Marco residents, volunteering offers a way to give back and meet more Islanders. Todd Stigall, volunteer golf cart driver, says that he knows more people on Marco now than he ever did after living in a big city in Texas for over 30 years. For more seasoned Marco residents, volunteering is a way to stay engaged while aging gracefully.

Jean Kramer, one of the newer NCH volunteers, says it well: “I am grateful to be a part of an organization that is striving to make our world a better place.”