SENTA R A IN THE COMMUNITY
A Recipe for
SUCCESS
Hospital volunteers bring ‘a little extra spice’ to the Sentara experience Frank Carter and Jill Garnett possess valu-
able qualities that help them put others at ease. “I’m a people person,” Carter says. “I enjoy people.” And Garnett? “I can talk with a brick wall,” she says. “I just thoroughly enjoy people. They’re fascinating.” Carter and Garnett feel right at home in their respective roles as volunteers for Sentara RMH Medical Center and Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, projecting a sense of ease that tends to rub off on the people they interact with during their shifts. Carter, a Vietnam veteran who retired from a career at R.R. Donnelley, has been volunteering as a greeter at Sentara RMH’s Hahn Cancer Center for nine years. Garnett, a retired teacher and career specialist, has spent two years volunteering as a concierge at Sentara Martha Jefferson’s front desk. Without the dedication of such selfless people, Sentara’s mission to provide the best health care possible would be much more challenging. “Volunteers add passion and caring to the patient experience and the family experience, which directly supports our staff,” says Renee Dinwiddie, manager of Guest and Volunteer Services at Sentara Martha Jefferson. “Our volunteers really just add a little extra spice. They don’t replace staff members—rather, they are like the extra topping on our service to patients and families that sets us apart.”
A Key Ingredient
According to Crystal Collins, team coordinator for Sentara RMH Volunteer Services, volunteers are stationed in about 15 different areas of the hospital, offering a wide range of helpful services. Volunteers run the gift shop register. They accompany cancer patients to radiation or the Infusion Center, picking up lunch for them if necessary. They serve as greeters, wayfinders and
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SPRING 2022
