Friday, April 16, 2010

Sinai Hospital Celebrates National Volunteer Week

by Beth Markowitz, Volunteer Manager
Sinai Hospital

At long last, spring has arrived! The highly anticipated change in seasons couldn’t come soon enough for most of us, and for volunteers spring means more than warm weather.

National Volunteer Week will be celebrated from Sunday, April 18 to Saturday, April 24. The Points of Light Institute and the Hands on Network designate the week annually to honor the countless individuals who take action to strengthen their communities through volunteerism. Sinai Hospital takes advantage of Volunteer Week to show gratitude to the 200 volunteers who regularly donate their time to the hospital.

Providing food and gifts for our volunteers, hanging a banner over Greenspring Avenue, and placing an ad in the Jewish Times are just some of the ways that Sinai Hospital and LifeBridge Health show appreciation to volunteers during National Volunteer Week. You, too, can thank our volunteers simply by taking a moment to say hello and by sharing a warm smile.

LifeBridge Health’s Annual Volunteer Luncheon is always held each spring close to National Volunteer Week. This year, the event was this past Tuesday, April 13, at Beth Tfiloh Congregation. Volunteers from all LifeBridge Health entities enjoyed food, gifts, and entertainment.

The value that volunteers bring to the staff and patients at Sinai Hospital is priceless. From knitting hats and blankets for our smallest patients to providing emotional support to a patient scheduled for a procedure, volunteers are part of the care provided at Sinai Hospital each day. It’s important to show volunteers your appreciation whenever possible, but National Volunteer Week is a great reminder for us to demonstrate that we care.

Sinai employees: can you use the help of a volunteer? Please contact Volunteer Services at 2-5023 if you have a need for volunteer(s) in your area. I am always looking for opportunities to engage volunteers and provide meaningful support to the hospital.

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