Volunteers make a difference every day

Last week, health-care organizations across the country celebrated the efforts of their volunteers.

At Riverview Medical Center, National Healthcare Volunteer Week provided us with the perfect opportunity to thank our own outstanding volunteers for the work they do all year long.

Volunteers can be found throughout the medical center. They help in patient areas such as the emergency care center, rehab and nursing units. They lend clerical assistance in many office areas and the library. They assist with patient relations, pastoral care and guest relations at the information desks. They can even be found assisting in food and nutrition and environmental services. Clearly, volunteers are an integral part of the Riverview Medical Center team.

In addition to the individuals who volunteer on a regular basis within the medical center, we are fortunate to have many auxilians who focus their volunteer activities on fundraising for Riverview. Their efforts help to run the gift shop and plan events throughout the year, such as an annual fall luncheon, which provide financial support to the medical center's Booker Cancer Center.

Whether they are helping with front line patient and guest relations, or assisting behind the scenes, our team of volunteers make vital contributions to the medical center.

In fact, in 2005 we had 463 volunteers contribute 47,133 hours of service.

That is the equivalent of 25 full-time employees.

We are truly fortunate to have these individuals choose to share their time and efforts at Riverview.

This year's national theme was "Volunteers Make a Difference Every Day." What a true statement!

On behalf of the entire staff at Riverview Medical Center and the many patients and families who pass through our doors, I would like to publicly acknowledge and thank our volunteers for the invaluable service that they provide all year round. They are an exceptional group of individuals who set an example for us all.

Timothy J. Hogan

president

Red Bank