Fort HealthCare Partners celebrate 26,036 service hours

Fort HealthCare’s Partners organization is a group of nearly 250 volunteers who contribute in the hospital each day assisting patients and visitors, making deliveries, offering directions, providing tours and managing the CareLine medical alert program among other activities. During a recent Volunteer Awards Banquet at Koshkonong Mounds Country Club, volunteers were recognized for their tireless efforts.

Joe Yaeger, president of the Fort HealthCare Partners, presented a check to Mike Wallace, Fort HealthCare president and CEO, for $556,128.96. The amount represents that dollar value of the 26,036 hours worked by volunteers in the past year, according to the Independent Sector organization. VolunTeens provided an additional 669.50 hours of work.

Special recognition was paid to Mary Carbon and Don Hoffman.

Mary has accumulated over 12,000 hours since she joined the organization in 1964. During her time as a member of Partners, Mary started the Partners Corner Grill and was instrumental in offering volunteer services in the Emergency Department. Over the years, she has served in many leadership roles including the Love Lights program, and has given her time delivering flowers and mail, mending linens and assembling patient comfort kits. She continues to volunteer with CareLine, calling subscribers for monthly test calls and performing bookkeeping.

Don Hoffman received the “Volunteer Excellence Award” for his 21 years of service representing 4,493 cumulative hours. In addition to being a past president of the Partners organization and a chairperson for the Love Lights program, Don is an early morning patient escort, which means he is assisting patients as early as 5:00 a.m. Further, he is an installer for the CareLine program and chairperson for wheelchair maintenance and CPR mannequin cleaning teams.

Fort HealthCare Partners awards $12,000 in health career scholarships annually, and provides funding for new equipment, new services and patient education. Additionally the Partners organization provides volunteer services that supplement the basic functions of hospital staff by making a patient’s stay more pleasant.

Fort HealthCare Partners is a voluntary organization dedicated to promoting the interests of Fort HealthCare and its patients. Volunteers donate their time and energy to help others, enjoy
opportunities to learn new skills, get a better understanding of the health field, and use some of their free time more productively.

Persons interested in more information about Partners scholarships or volunteering may call Kari Behling, volunteer services manager at (920) 568-5276. New volunteers are always welcome.