Serving others . . .
reaping the rewards

Become an Georgia Regents Medical Center Volunteer

To care, to serve, to educate, to discover...that’s the mission of Georgia Regents Medical Center. And scores of volunteers help the hospital make that a reality every day.   

“These concerned people are driven by a sincere desire to serve others,” says Samm Fusselle, manager of Georgia Regents Medical Center’s Volunteer Services. “They quickly discover that the rewards of their work are even greater than they imagined.”

This is true for Augusta resident Isabel F. Lecuona. After retiring from her job in New York,  Ms. Lecuona moved to Augusta to be near her children. A once-active people person, she found herself with little to do. “Now I’m volunteering at Georgia Regents Medical Center, and I love the interaction I have with patients in the medicine practice site clinics,” Ms. Lecuona says.

“Despite strong community support, the Georgia Regents Medical Center Volunteer Board needs more helping hands. If you’d like to serve others and enjoy the rewards that brings, consider becoming an Georgia Regents Medical Center volunteer,” Ms. Fusselle says.

A Range of Assignments
Once you’ve completed an interview, orientation, background check and other formalities, the Volunteer Board will place you in a position that matches your skills, experience and talents. You’ll be asked to make a minimum commitment of three hours a week for at least six months. 

“There are currently about 80 year-round adult volunteers and 50-60 “volunteens,” or local high school students who donate time during the summer,” says Ms. Fusselle. Volunteers and “volunteens” work as greeters, assist nursing unit staffs, help in medical records, serve as lab couriers, staff the resource library and work with behavioral health patients. Others cuddle babies in the nursery, comfort families in the trauma unit, staff the gift shop, and help patients develop Care Pages, personalized Web pages they can use to keep in touch with friends and relatives  while they’re in the hospital.  

Making a Difference in the Children’s Hospital of Georgia
Volunteers also play an important role in the Children’s Hospital of Georgia. They entertain children who are waiting to see their physicians, stay with pediatric patients while their parents run errands or get a bite to eat, and take a cart into patient rooms so kids can select books, DVDs or video games. They also support the two educators who teach children in the hospital. 

The Teen Board
Volunteer Services sponsors a Teen Board made up of seven student leaders between the ages of 15-17 who have served as “volunteens” in the past.  The group meets once a month and plans fundraising and special events to get other teens involved in supporting Georgia Regents Medical Center. The board recently held a toy drive during which each member asked friends and fellow students to donate toys for the Children’s Hospital of Georgia.

Members also help with holiday decorating, host parties for the Children’s Hospital of Georgia and work at Ronald McDonald House, which houses families of pediatric patients during their child’s stay in the hospital.

Join the Ranks of Volunteers 
If you have free time, why not join the Georgia Regents Medical Center Volunteer Board? “We also welcome groups and organizations that wish to donate time, goods or services to our patients,” Ms. Fusselle says. For more information on volunteering, please call 706-721-3596. 

Volunteers Make a Real Financial Impact  
In 2008, members of the Volunteer Board generously gave more than 8,100 hours of their time to Georgia Regents Medical Center. When calculated at a reasonable hourly rate of $17.50, the total comes to more than $141,000.

Apply to Become a Volunteer
If you’re interested in serving as an Georgia Regents Medical Center volunteer, please check out our Volunteer Page for more information.