WHEN YOUWALK
into the Vineyard
Lobby on a Wednesday morning,
Carl Taylor may be welcoming you. He’s
one of Kadlec’s over 480 volunteers
who make a signi cant contribution to
the care of patients and visitors at the
medical center every day.
“I started volunteering over two years
ago,”he said. “I’m there to take care of the
people, greeting them and giving them
information and directions. I just love
talking to them. It’s a good thing to do.”
Carl also has a personal reason to
volunteer. “I had my rst brain surgery
in 2002, and the doctor at Kadlec saved
my life. Afterward, I thought it would be
neat to volunteer there. I wasn’t even
sure what volunteering at a hospital
meant.”
A few years later, he made good on
that thought. “If you retire, you’ve got to
do something. Helping other people at
the hospital is one of those things I can
do,” he said. “It keeps me going.”
Last year, Kadlec’s volunteers put in
nearly 75,000 hours — a hospital record.
That’s equal to 36 full time employees.
They work with the professional sta
in almost every area of the hospital
providing a variety of services from
greeting people like Carl does, to
sewing, playing music, escorting
patients and guests, and much more.
“I think as a volunteer, we help the
sta so they can do their jobs even
better,” he said. “We can take time with
the patients and families, so the nurses
can do what they need to do.
“I’ve learned that the people who are
volunteers are so cool,” he said. “They
have to like people. Sometimes people
just need someone to listen to them
and as a volunteer, I have learned to
do that and have the time to do that. I
thoroughly enjoy volunteering.”
For more information on becoming
a volunteer at Kadlec, call
(509) 942-2248
.
A higher level of care
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Permit No. 44
Pacesetter
is published by Kadlec Health System
888 Swift Blvd., Richland,WA 99352
(509) 946-4611
Mary Lynn Merriman, MLM Communications, editor
Kim Fetrow, Jim Hall, Mitch Lewis, Mark Roberts, photography
Pacesetter
Editorial Board chair:
Nikki Ostergaard
Pacesetter
Editorial Board members:
Anali Chavez,
Angela Mohondro, Antoinette Burnside, Bill Baldwin, Cara Hitt, Heidi Hill,
Je Clark, Jim Hall, Julie Chavez, Julie Meek, Kris Gauntt, Meg Fallows,
Nan Domenici, Renee Sams, Stephanie C.Williams
The material in
Pacesetter
is not intended for diagnosing or
prescribing. Consult your physician before undertaking any form of
medical treatment or adopting any exercise program or dietary guidelines.
Information in
Pacesetter
comes from a wide range of medical experts.
Models may be used in photos and illustrations.
Copyright © 2014; Co ey Communications
CUN30373
888 Swift Blvd.
Richland, WA 99352
The value of volunteers
Fun Fact
In the early years it was difficult to
obtain all of the essentials to equip
the new hospital. There was no
storage unit filled with supplies to
fall back upon during the wartime
crunch. The Auxiliary stepped in
to help fill the gap, sewing and
repairing linens and creating other
items used in the hospital. That
same support continues today,
70 years later.
