Shown from left: Dennis Franks, 2019 KHA Board Chair; Harold Courtois, MHS CEO; Wendy Klosterman, MHS Volunteer Corps President; Linda Staiger, 2019 HAK President; Jeanette Butler, HAK District 3 Coordinator; Tom Bell, KHA President and CEO.
The Memorial Health System (MHS) Volunteer Corps was awarded the Gold Award of Excellence for the twenty-seventh consecutive year at the annual joint luncheon for Kansas Hospital Association (KHA) and Hospital Auxiliaries of Kansas (HAK) in September.
The Corps must complete 17 requirements to be eligible for the award each year. The goals attained included their involvement in health-related community service programs such as contributing to a health career scholarship, membership recruitment, recognizing hospital personnel, volunteering to staff the MHS booth at the Central Kansas Free Fair, promoting National Volunteer Week, offering a health information program to the community such as Healthwise 55, and much more.
Memorial Health System CEO, Harold Courtois, commented on the volunteers and their accomplishment.
“It is hard to achieve this award, much less to do it 27 years in a row, and that is the number of years the volunteers have been in existence at the hospital…at least the number of years as of last year. This marks the 28th year of operation for our volunteers, and they have qualified for the Gold Award again this year to be awarded at the next luncheon. All I can say is THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! to our volunteers for the great work they do for us every day! You are all amazing and mean so much to our hospital, health system, patients, and visitors! It is my honor to be associated with you all!”
Michelle McClanahan, MHS Director of Volunteer Services, also commended the volunteers.
“Our volunteers are truly amazing! To receive the Gold Award for 27 consecutive years shows the level of commitment each and every volunteer has to our hospital and our community,” McClanahan said. “We appreciate everything volunteers do at Memorial Health System, from running the Caring Hearts Gift Shop, greeting people, fundraising, visiting patients, clerical duties, and so much more. Each and every volunteer has earned this Gold Award in their support of our projects and caring for others.”
There are many opportunities to volunteer for the Memorial Health System Volunteer Corps in Abilene. Those who are interested in volunteering may contact Michelle at (785) 263-6692.