Twigs need more volunteers so the organization can keep serving Medina hospital
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Sandy Vaughn and Sharon Keirn receive service awards from Twig president Jeanne Crane at their annual banquet Monday at Zambistro’s. Vaughn received a 100-hour bar, while Keirn was presented with a 2,000-hour bar.
MEDINA – Medina Memorial Hospital’s Association of Twigs held their annual dinner meeting Monday at Zambistro’s Restaurant in Medina.
President Jeanne Crane welcomed guests and stressed the need for more volunteers for the Greeter Desk and Reception Desk.
The Twigs which once numbered more than 300 members now has 65, who are determined to keep the group going.
From left, Sandy Vaughn and Peggy Silkowski receive recognition at the Twig banquet from Carol Shafer, head of the Greeter Desk at Medina Memorial Hospital.
During their decades of supporting the hospital, they have provided hundreds of thousands of dollars for hospital renovations and equipment. The majority of their money was earned from their Twig-run gift shop, which had to be closed two years ago because of lack of volunteers.
That lack of volunteers was reiterated by Carol Shafer, who heads the Greeter Desk, and Janet Blount, who heads the Reception Desk.
The Greeter Desk registers visitors to the hospital, while the Reception Desk signs in patients coming in for tests and blood work.
Currently, the Greeter Desk has 14 volunteers on the list, but three are either sick or haven’t returned from the South, Shafer said. And one has asked to be removed from the schedule.
“With only 10 active volunteers, it is almost impossible to maintain a schedule of 10 shifts (two a day for five days a week),” Shafer said.
Shafer recognized Sandra Vaughn and Peggy Silkowski for their volunteer hours.
Janet Blount, who heads the Reception Desk, echoed the need for volunteers.
“This year has been a real struggle,” Blount said. “We’ve only had three consistent workers.”
She said she doesn’t know what she would have done without Diane Kujawa, Anne Ortwein and Susan Weese. Kujawa volunteered 625 hours last year; Ortwein, 310; and Weese, 184.
“There has to be someone willing to step up and give Carol Shafer and myself someone to call upon,” Blount said.
She welcomed a new volunteer, Rosemary Eden, who joined in January.
“We are already calling on her, above and beyond,” Blount said.
Of the original 11 branches of Twig, only two continue to meet. Laurel is the only one with monthly meetings six times a year. Honeysuckle meets several times a year for dinner out.
Laurel Twig makes and fills about 60 Christmas stockings each year for patients and long-term care residents.
Honeysuckle has been donating a champagne brunch and fiesta party to be auctioned off at the hospital Foundation’s Treasure Island in November. Their funds are earned by selling popcorn in the hospital lobby each Friday. They also help several other organizations at the Billy Martin Circus in January, which this year earned them $1,700.
Dona Masters reports to Twig members at their annual banquet on Honeysuckle Twig’s successful projects during the year, selling popcorn in the hospital lobby and helping with the Billy Martin Circus.
Mary Williams, a 47-year employee of the hospital and vice president of human resources at Orleans Community Health, gave an update on the hospital. They will be celebrating Hospital Week with various activities each day. Williams also reported on the closing of the Gift Shop, which had been open occasionally by Rosenkrans Pharmacy. When asked what the hospital was going to do with the space, she said with security becoming such an important issue, it could be used for a security office.
Several Twig members were recognized for their hours of volunteerism. Diane Kujawa and Sharon Keirn received a 2,000-hour bar, Tish McAdoo and JoAnne Sellers earned a 1,000-hour bar and Sandra Vaughn got her 100-hour bar.
Crane ended the evening by urging everyone to think of a new volunteer.
“It really is so rewarding,” she said.
