A volunteer organization established 60 years ago to help serve the needs of patients at Schneck Memorial Hospital also has contributed more than $1 million in funding for various projects.
On Oct. 10, current and past members of the guild at the Seymour hospital, now known as Schneck Medical Center, were recognized for that support with a gala at Pewter Hall in Brownstown.
Rick Smith, chairman of the Schneck board of trustees, thanked guild members for giving their time, talent and resources to make sure the patient health care experience is reflective of the Schneck culture that embraces the delivery of quality health care.
“Your words and your actions support the Schneck culture every day, and congratulations for being true ambassadors for Schneck,” he said. “As guild volunteers, you are often on the frontlines by being the first contact when a patient enters the doors here and many times the last contact when a patient leaves the Schneck campus. Your contact itself leaves a lasting impression with the patient, their family and friends.”
He praised the work of all of the guild members, from those who man the information desk or serve as a registration host or hostess to those who transport patients and operate the shuttles and gift shop.
“Schneck could not be Schneck without you,” Smith said. “Your caring and compassionate service makes a big difference to Schneck.”
Debbie Mann, Schneck’s chief financial officer, said the number of hours worked by guild volunteers continues to climb each year.
During the 2018 guild recognition luncheon, Mann reported the hours of service by guild members were up more than 2,000 hours from the year before.
“That was an amazing accomplishment,” she said.
Mann said it’s even more amazing that volunteer hours were up another 1,000 hours this year to an estimated 21,318 hours.
She said it would have cost Schneck $450,000 to hire those hours out.
“Right now, we’re trying to work on balancing our budget, and your contributions in that regard are critical,” Mann said.
Over the past few years alone, the guild has provided two shuttles, which helped everyone with parking issues during the recent construction project, and the funding to help with a project to renovate the intensive care unit, she said. The guild also has provided support for cancer and hospice patients.
Any time there is a need at Schneck, the guild is one of the first to rise to the challenge, Mann said.
Warren Forgey, Schneck’s president and chief executive officer, talked about the early days of the guild and the group of civic-minded volunteers who started it as a way to promote and enhance the welfare of patients at Schneck.
“The charter members in 1959 were Mrs. George Laupus, Mrs. R.M. Swain Jr., Mrs. Wilford Greemann, Mrs. George Boas, Mrs. Harry Baxter, Mrs. Richard Montgomery, Mrs. Arthur Kaufman and Mrs. Richard Robertson,” he said.
More than 100 women attended an organizational team that year, and the guild was born.
“Today, the guild has more than 120 members and continues to be one of the consistent supporters and contributors to Schneck Medical Center,” Forgey said. “The founding members and the efforts of hundreds of others since then have given thousands of hours of service and have raised more than $1 million to support Schneck Medical Center.”
He said the guild has played a significant role in the success of Schneck, and today’s volunteers represent a group of truly caring individuals.
Amy Cockerham, Schneck’s volunteer manager, talked about the hospital in 1959.
She said the completion of a new wing in 1957 extended Schneck to a 101-bed capacity, a complete diagnostic X-ray department, therapy and urology units, two nurseries, two major and two minor surgical areas, a new recovery room and a completely equipped kitchen.
Cockerham said the guild has given some very large donations over 60 years, including $383,000 raised between 1969 and 1984 for the intensive care unit, patient stretchers, wheelchairs and more.
The guild typically conducts an annual recognition luncheon, but more was needed this year, she said.
The celebration featured special music from Bad Medicine, which includes some of the hospital staff and doctors, playing a song from each of the six decades the guild has existed. It also included an extended list of invitees, including inactive guild members and anybody who might have been involved in the guild in any other way in the past.