Chester River Hospital Center Auxiliary Installs New Officers

Chestertown, MD – The Chester River Hospital Center Auxiliary started the year with its Annual Meeting & Luncheon on Tuesday, January 14 at Heron Point in Chestertown. The occasion included a luncheon, remarks by Kathy Elliott, executive director at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown, recognition of individual members for reaching milestones in their volunteer hours served and installation of new officers.

Auxiliary President Sue Edson announced that during 2019, Auxiliary volunteers worked approximately 11,296 hours in the hospital gift shop, at the Nearly New Shop and as in-house volunteers. The Auxiliary’s activities generated a total of $111,575 in revenue. According to the Maryland Governor’s office on Service and Volunteerism, each volunteered hour is valued at $25.43. Therefore, the Auxiliary contributed over $285,000 of service to the hospital in 2019.

Thirty five volunteers were presented with the coveted gold star pin, representing 500 hours of volunteer service. Volunteers provide services in the Nearly New shop, the hospital gift shop and as “in-house” volunteers.

The Nearly New shop reported providing 4,720 hours of volunteer service generating nearly $67,800 in sales for the year. The following volunteers earned a 500-hour pin: Peggy Albertson; Patsy Alverson; Joann Bowdle; Thelma Bright; Phyllis Brown; Ann Collins; Shirley Gayner; Trish Harwood; Ellie Noble; Marsha Oertly; Camille Olinick; Nanny Porter; Jane Presser; Joanna Rash; Marjo Rasin; Mary Robinson; Joyce Smithson; Louise Stonesifer; Jean Stubbs; Paddy Tobey; Kay Wilkinson; and Irene Mench.

In-house volunteers reported providing 5,275 hours of service for the year. This unit volunteers to greet patients and visitors at the front desk, provide in-patient transportation, liaison between waiting family members and the surgical services staff, assist in-patients with menu selection, as well as volunteer in the infusion center. For 2019, the following volunteers received their 500-hour gold star: Trudy Anderson; Gwinn Derricott; Carol Droge; Charlie Hawkins; and Lois Smith.

Gift Shop volunteers provided 1,301 hours of service to the hospital and generated nearly $30,000 in sales for the year. These volunteers do everything to operate the shop – from waiting on customers to ordering merchandise, cleaning and conducting inventory. The following volunteers also received a gold 500-hour service pin: Valerie Croft; Sue Edson; Linda Gagliano; Veronica Gordon; Vicki Neal; Miki Smith and Nan Voorhees.

“The goal of the Auxiliary is to raise the most money we can for our local hospital – Shore Medical Center at Chestertown. We always strive to give the best of ourselves each and every day while having fun at the same time,” says Edson. “We are very grateful for our volunteers, who are an important part of the team at our hospital.” To learn more about volunteering, call 410-348-5114.

Installed as the Auxiliary’s new officers were Sue Edson, president; Carol Droge, vice president and corresponding secretary; Jean Anthony, treasurer; Trudy Anderson, recording secretary; JoAnn Bowdle, parliamentarian; and Jack Edson, immediate past president.

CUTLINE: 2020 Auxiliary officers and members pose for a photo.
Back Row- Jack Edson, Nan Voorhees and Mary Coryell; Middle Row- Sue Edson, Cathy Molz, Kathy Davis and Diane McAneny; Front Row – Barbara Noll, JoAnn Bowdle, Jean Anthony and Carol Droge. (Chestertown Auxiliary 2020.jpeg)