Engaging Volunteers to Support our Efforts
As the pandemic continued for another year, the Volunteer Engagement team focused on priorities to provide support to our clinical colleagues, find ways to keep our volunteers engaged and support community vaccination efforts.
Volunteer Engagement worked with KPETS to host pet therapy sessions for staff. These visits boosted employee morale, reduced stress, and provided comfort and joy to everyone that participated in the visits.
Volunteer Engagement hosted several drive-by recognition events since it was not possible to host in-person service award recognition events. Our volunteers were provided with appreciation gifts, meals, and lots of gratitude from leaders throughout each county. Despite the challenging year, 3,296 volunteers dedicated over 20,600 hours of their time within WellSpan last fiscal year.
Volunteer Engagement was instrumental in recruiting COVID-19 Hope Squad volunteers to support the COVID-19 community vaccination sites throughout the region. Over 1,700 volunteers were recruited to support vaccination efforts, including administration of the vaccination as well as administrative support. COVID-19 Hope Squad volunteers dedicated over 7,706 hours of service in these herculean efforts to vaccinate our communities. Many retired clinicians, like Norma Shue, age 87, came out of retirement to volunteer with vaccine efforts.
Learn more about WellSpan's volunteer program.
Here are some of the activities completed by our volunteer-led auxiliaries:
York Hospital Auxiliary
- Celebrated the beginning of our 125th Year as York Hospital Auxiliary with increased publicity and a successful Basket Raffle
- 2nd Year of our total pledge of $500,000 to the WellSpan York Cancer Center for the “Sunshine Corner Café”
- Hosted our 39th Children's Wellness Days in collaboration with the Byrnes Health Education Center, educating more than 1,600 York County third graders virtually on several topics including computer safety and diversity.
- Provided appreciation and support to the WellSpan York Hospital staff during the pandemic.
- Awarded $2,000 Geneva Freeman Scholarships to two York County Students that volunteer and will be continuing in a healthcare field
- Hosted several vendor sales virtually and doubled our board membership
Good Samaritan Hospital Auxiliary
- Purchased a Radiant Warmer for the maternity Unit for $18,000
- Purchased $1,500 worth of Healing Pillows for heart patients
- Each baby born get a baby swaddle to take home to help to promote safe sleep.
- Operation Good Sam donated food for our community valued at $500
- Toys for Tots toy drive raised $500
Chambersburg Hospital Auxiliary
- Donated $15,347.34 to Wellspan Chambersburg Hospital for Chest Compression System in the Emergency Room.
- Awarded 12 scholarships, 11 to high school students and one adult student, all of whom are in the medical field.
- Continue to support the hospital's mission through the operation of the Carousel Gift Shop.
Gettysburg Hospital Auxiliary
- Celebrated 100 years of supporting the WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital.
- Donated $36,000 for Infant Panda Bed Warmers
- Donated $25,000 for Overbed tables for hospital patients
- Donated $12,500 for lockers and sleep rooms for obstetric patients
- Donated $16,500 to purchase Patient Transport defibrillators
- Continued to support the Hospital's mission through the operation of the Hospital Gift Shop and Thrift Shop located in downtown Gettysburg
