Southeast Georgia Health System Honors its "All-Star Team" of Volunteers

April 20, 2018 – Southeast Georgia Health System kicked off National Volunteer Week, April 15-21, with a celebratory luncheon honoring its “All-Star Team” of volunteers on its Brunswick and Camden campuses, as well as the Senior Care Centers in Brunswick and St. Marys. Held at the Jekyll Island Convention Center, more than 300 volunteers were celebrated for their generous donation of time and talent during the 2017 “championship season.”

Reviewing the stats for 2017, 340 volunteers and 83 volunteens provided 51,228 hours of service valued at more than $1.2 million. Of those, 103 volunteers were recognized for cumulatively giving between 300 and 1,000 service hours individually. Other “major plays” included: donating $155,000 to the Health System as a result of Gift Shop and fundraising sales; awarding six $1,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors who served in the Volunteen program and are pursuing careers in health care; sending three Volunteens to the Council on Auxiliaries and Volunteers Youth Camp; and hosting Georgia Hospital Association’s Council on Auxiliaries and Volunteers Southeast District Spring Meeting on Jekyll Island with 153 in attendance from 15 hospitals.

“On behalf of our board of directors, leadership and team members, we are grateful for our wonderful, dedicated all-star team of volunteers,” said Michael D. Scherneck, president and chief executive officer, Southeast Georgia Health System. “Every day you put yourselves in the shoes of others to help them feel more comfortable. We sincerely appreciate everything you do, and thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Camden Campus Administrator and Vice President Howard W. Sepp Jr., FACHE, echoed Scherneck’s remarks, noting, “How fortunate we are to have so many volunteers helping us care for our patients and families. We couldn’t do what we do, if it wasn’t for what you do. We are so honored to recognize you on this special day.”

Volunteers of the Year Named

The 2017 Auxiliary “MVPs” or Volunteers of the Year were also named at the luncheon: Tricia Boatright for the Brunswick Campus and Sharon Bowen for the Camden Campus.

Announcing Boatright as the Brunswick Campus Auxiliary Volunteer of the Year, Joyce Toler, president, Brunswick Auxiliary said, “Championship titles are won by teams that have learned how to be good teammates, because we all know there’s no ‘I’ in team . Tricia puts the Gift Shop team’s performance before her own accomplishments and is supportive of her volunteer teammates. Working mostly behind the scenes, similar to a baseball statistician, Tricia works with numbers and helps us keep up with our bottom line and the end of season goal, the Auxiliary donation to the Health System, in sight.”

Marilyn Masson, first vice president, Camden Campus Auxiliary, praised Bowen for her team spirit as she announced her as the Camden Campus Auxiliary Volunteer of the Year, “Helping to make the Gift Shop a ‘World Series’ contender for shopping destinations in Camden County is our volunteer of the year’s ‘power play.’ Sharon is a walking marketer during fundraising sales, visiting departments in the hospital with merchandise, like vendors in the stands at the ballpark. She also supports her teammates by ‘pinch hitting’ on days when others need time away and always has an encouraging word for fellow volunteers and a welcoming smile for Gift Shop customers.”

Service Awards Presented

The following Auxiliary volunteers were presented with service pins in recognition of the number of hours they volunteered over the past year:

600 Hours
Glenda Battle
George Hardee
Connie Johnson
Marilyn Masson
Joyce Toler
Margie Young

700 Hours
Les Breen
Patricia Breen
Joy Scott
Peggy Tuten
Kathleen Worthing

800 Hours
Candace Bentley-Connor
Mary Lynne Cochran
Yvonne Horton
Enoch Prow
James Walker

1000 Hours
Gene Laurendeau

More than 300 volunteers generously share their time and talents to assist patients, visitors, and team members at the Southeast Georgia Health System Brunswick and Camden campuses, as well as the Senior Care Centers in Brunswick and St. Marys. To learn more about volunteer opportunities, contact Kristin Doll, CAVS, director, Volunteer Services, at 912-466-1071 or visit sghs.org/volunteers.