Almost anyone who has visited Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle has seen them — the volunteers. They may be staffing the front desks, delivering newspapers to patients, manning the gift shop or organizing a fundraiser. In many instances, one of them will be the first person — and first impression — visitors encounter. The hospital’s Volunteer Auxiliary was the focus of an event Tuesday recognizing these valuable team members. For Wanda Crossley, it was a special occasion. Not only was she named Volunteer of the Month, she was honored for 30 years of service.
It all started around a breakfast table more than three decades ago. Crossley had major surgery at the local hospital and afterward had high praise for the staff.
At breakfast one morning as she recuperated, she remarked to her husband, Billy Crossley, “I wish I knew of something I could do to show my appreciation.” His response was, “You can, go be a volunteer.”
“She lit up like a Christmas tree and said, ‘I believe I will!'” Billy Crossley said Wednesday. “That was 30 years ago, and she’s been at it ever since.”
He describes his wife as a “people person,” one who enjoys her weekly hours at the hospital as a means of reaching out to others. She even recruited Billy into the Auxiliary about four or five years ago.
The role of volunteers extends beyond daily interaction with patients and their families. They also generate thousands of dollars for the hospital annually. Through the gift shop volunteers staff and fundraisers they plan, the group has helped the medical facility make purchases that enhance patient care. Between 2011-2013, for example, the Auxiliary donated more than $100,000 toward the purchase of an ambulance equipped with cardiac monitors. Current efforts are underway to raise funds toward another ambulance.
“We have wonderful volunteers, some who have been here 20 years or more,” said Auxiliary coordinator Cathy Johnson. “We need even more volunteers, like Wanda, who stay with us.”
Having reached the 30-year mark, Crossley has no plans to step aside.
“As long as I’m physically able, I plan to be there,” she said. “And I just want to encourage anybody that would love to serve to go talk to Cathy (Johnson) about being a volunteer.”
To learn more, contact Johnson at 662-244-1165 or email [email protected].
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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