Jeanne Crane, long-time community volunteer, feels ‘calling’ to give back

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 October 2021 at 8:06 am

Waterport woman to be recognized by state and county

Photo by Tom Rivers: Jeanne Crane shows her patriotic spirit during the Fourth of July parade in Lyndonville in 2015.

WATERPORT – A very active community volunteer will be recognized on Older American’s Day in Albany during a virtual ceremony on Nov. 5.

Jeanne Crane also will be commended for her service by the Orleans County Legislature next week.

Crane, a retired nurse at Medina Memorial Hospital, has been nominated and selected to be the county’s representative for Older American’s Day.

She has been a long-time volunteer for Medina Memorial Hospital, the Orleans County Democratic Party and numerous other organizations and causes in the county.

She was nominated for the award by Cindy Perry and Dorothy Follman for her volunteer work with the hospital. She helps raise funds for the hospital through events such as Treasure Island, Mega Drawing and golf tournaments. These events support renovations to the hospital, purchase updated medical equipment and improve services to patients.

Crane spent hours planning for the events, preparing for them, promoting the events, as well as volunteering at the events. She was instrumental in a recent campaign to improve the Long Term Care Residential Unit (North Wing) at the hospital. When the call came out for nurses to assist with Covid-19 vaccines, she stepped up and helped several days a week, all day to assist and eventually she was hired to help with the continued effort.

The Office for the Aging in Orleans County said Crane volunteers at many organizations:

Orleans Community Health – TWIGS (current president), many hospital projects (Treasure Island, golf tournaments, Mega Drawings, Orleans Community Health Foundation Board member (past president), and vaccinations clinics
AFS – hosted 3 students from Columbia, Costa Rica and Mexico
HANYS Statewide Committee for Healthcare Auxiliaries
Genesee Valley State Parks Commission Board
Current Vice President of Beta Sigma Phi – women’s group with a goal of culture, social and education development
Catholic Daughters – current Regent
25 years of leading Orleans County Democratic Party
Volunteers with Holy Trinity Church
Volunteer at vaccination clinics
first woman in Orleans County to serve on Lewiston Trail-Council of Boys Scouts of America Board Member

Crane has always felt a “calling” to help others, said Melissa Blanar, the Officie for the Aging director in Orleans County.

“This is evident by the career she chose as a nurse and by the multitude of volunteering she has done in the past and continues to do,” Blanar said. “She has touched the lives of hundreds of individuals. She feels a commitment to improve the health and well-being of her community. Volunteering enables her to support her beliefs and to help others by giving back to her community. The reward you get from volunteering is unmeasurable. Volunteering cannot be measured by any pay!”