Celebrating 15,000 Volunteer Hours for Gertie Vaden

Volunteer Manager Lois Koehler awards hospital volunteer Gertie Vaden a 15,000 hour pin in recognition of the hours she has volunteered at UH Elyria. This is a significant milestone that no other UH Elyria volunteer has achieved.

Congratulations to UH Elyria Medical Center volunteer Gertie Vaden.

Gertie surpassed 15,000 hours of service this week and was awarded special recognition by Volunteer Manager Lois Koehler.

“We just greatly appreciate Gertie,” Koehler said as she awarded Gertie a 15,000 hour volunteer pin. “She is willing to do anything you ask her to do. She is respected by the staff and deeply appreciated by all.”

Gertie volunteers three days a week. If you equate her 15,000 hours of service to a normal work week, it comes out to over 12 years of giving of herself to the welfare of the hospital and those it serves.

Asked what she likes best about volunteering, Gertie says, simply, “Everything.” She lets her actions speak for her, instead, and helps in discharge, delivering lab samples, delivering messages, working at the information desk and more. “I like everything I do,” she says.

“I was tired of sitting at home,” said Gertie of her start with the hospital. “My husband had passed away, so I called Lois.” Lois has been forever grateful that she did. “This is our star, said Lois. “She’s an amazing woman.”

Hospital volunteer Gertie Vaden stands in front of the 30-foot banner on the corner of East River and East Broad Streets celebrating volunteers at UH Elyria Medical Center. The banner will remain up in recognition of National Volunteer Week, April 19 – 23.