MTH Auxiliary and Volunteers
Celebrate 20 Years of Service

Twenty years of on-going volunteer service to the patients of Moses Taylor Hospital was honored during a recent celebration. Past and present adult hospital volunteers, plus members of the auxiliary who have served in a variety of roles at the hospital, were recognized for their hard work and dedication.

Anita Guzek, Director of Volunteer Services, acknowledged the tremendous value the volunteers have provided to the hospital over the years.

"You could never put a dollar value on the many hours of volunteer service these dedicated people have given on behalf of our patients," said Anita. "We currently have 80 adult volunteers at the hospital plus a teen summer program and many college students. Last year, they donated over 22,000 hours of service to the hospital."

The current group of volunteers at Moses Taylor owes its existence to a community activist named Rose Kaufman. In 1978, she helped organized the hospital's first auxiliary, which participated in volunteer service and fund-raising events. The combined volunteer and auxiliary team later grew to 300 members.

In time, the organizations were separated. The auxiliary concentrated on fund-raising, while the hospital volunteers continued to perform tasks such as delivering flowers and mail and transporting patients through the hospital.

Today, the auxiliary's fund-raising efforts include the operation of the hospital's gift shop. The volunteers are formally supervised, and Anita is only the fourth director in the last 20 years.

"Our volunteers must comply with a host of policies, procedures, and responsibilities set down by the hospital and the volunteer department," explained Anita. "They adhere to a formal schedule just like a hospital employee and maintain patient confidentiality. They must also follow our Code of Ethics, and pay special attention to the principles of integrity and patient safety."

The fact that Moses Taylor Hospital has earned a top rating of "Accreditation with Commendation" from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Organizations means the hospital's volunteers must meet additional challenges.

Moses Taylor Hospital salutes the many men and women who have given freely of themselves for two decades. Despite the skeptical age we live in, there are still those who care.