Published: April 22, 2015
Sparrow Clinton Hospital President and CEO Ed Bruun (left), Gay Baker, 2014 SCH Volunteer of the Year (center), and Don Rademacher, SCH Leadership Award winner (right)
In celebration of National Volunteer Week, Sparrow Clinton Hospital honored community members at its annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon held April 17 in the Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers Conference Center.
All volunteers in good standing were invited to the event, which included a day of spa experiences with chair massages, nail treatments, hand scrubs and essential oils education to help celebrate the exceptional achievements of hospital volunteers in 2014.
Gay Baker of St. Johns was named 2014 Volunteer of the Year. Baker has played a key role in recent hospital events, serving as co-president of the SCH Auxiliary and representative to the SCH Board of Directors. In recognition of her dedication and commitment to the SCH Auxiliary, Baker also was selected by her peers as the 2014 Auxilian of the Year.
“Gay’s enthusiasm for promoting the hospital by creating innovative fundraising activities has sparked new and exciting opportunities for our Auxiliary,” said Nan Simons, Director of Sparrow Clinton Hospital Community Relations, Marketing & Volunteers. “We are so very lucky to have a volunteer of her caliber as an advocate of Sparrow Clinton Hospital.”
Don Rademacher, retired local businessman and longtime Sparrow Clinton Hospital supporter, also was honored. Rademacher received a special Community Leadership award in recognition of more than two decades of valuable service with the hospital.
A dedicated community leader, Rademacher has served as a member of the Sparrow Clinton Hospital Board of Directors and the Sparrow Health System Board of Directors, as well as chairman of the Health Corporation of Clinton, the SCH Foundation Committee and the Healthy Directions Campaign, which raised $1.5 million.
Rademacher stepped up again in support of the recent Right Here, Right Now Capital Campaign that raised $2.25 million to build the new SCH Emergency Services Department.
“Don has been instrumental in helping identify and place many key leadership volunteers at Sparrow Clinton, including myself,” said Curt Keck, current representative to the Sparrow Heath System Board of Directors and an emeritus member of the SCH Board of Directors. “In addition to being a strong advocate of our hospital, Don has shared his leadership skills in our community through his church, St. Johns Rotary, and the Cemetery Board.”
Sparrow Clinton Hospital volunteers contributed 7,400 hours of compassionate care and passionate service in 2014. The hospital recognized the following volunteers for years and hours of service:
5 Years
Sharon Hunt, Kim Kellogg
10 Years
Judy Latchaw, Sharon Shutes, James Wing
15 Years
Sue Detloff, Bertine Thelen
More than 20 Years
Dona Gartside (29), Carrie Hartenburg (21), Judy Minner (29), Nancy Moore (21), Laura Mullaney (26), Don Rademacher (22)
More than 30 Years
Mary Ann Ellickson (36), Sam Hopko (44), Jeanette Huard (33), Cindy Knight (34), Daniel Matson (44)
More than 50 Years
Kay Mishler (52)
More than 2,000 Cumulative Volunteer Hours
Sam Hopko (2,856), Cindy Knight (4,637), Judy Minner (5,792), Nancy Moore (7,153)
Volunteers have played an integral role at the hospital since its founding in 1927 and continue to be a valued asset. To learn more about volunteer opportunities or advanced healthcare services available at Sparrow Clinton Hospital in St. Johns, visit us online.
Choose wisely. Choose Sparrow.