At Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg (HSC), over 1000 people volunteer their time and energy to help the hospital provide friendly, efficient care and support to patients and their visitors. Some volunteer for work experience or to have a meaningful activity outside the home. For others, volunteering is a part of a greater cultural responsibility. Whatever their motivations, all volunteers at HSC have so much to give – and so much to gain.

Charles Ochoa is an intelligent, hard working and enthusiastic young man with aspirations of a career in medicine. While many others his age are out socializing, Charles is a regular fixture in HSC’s Corner Store, where he has given more than 273 volunteer hours. He says he enjoys helping the customers and is grateful for the many work and people skills he has gained through this. His strong commitment was officially recognized in 2008 when he received HSC’s Volunteer Services, Youth Service Award and again in 2009 when he received one of two Volunteer Enterprises Scholarships. Charles is currently completing the first year of his Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Winnipeg. When he concludes this degree, he intends to pursue a Medicine degree at the University of Manitoba. Charles says he hopes to work as a doctor at HSC someday. When he does, his insight into the people and workings of the hospital will prove very helpful.

Alliana Tumilap is also a high school student. Asked why she wanted to volunteer at HSC, Alliana replied that she wanted to gain hospital experience and to explore potential careers. She began volunteering with HSC in September 2009 and has given over 62 hours. Alliana’s bright presence can be seen in Guildy’s Café. A naturally giving person, she has also volunteered at Siloam Mission and extensively at her school.

Evelyn Navalez arrived in Canada from the Philippines in 2008 where she had been working for the government as an administrative aide in the Department of Health. After immigrating to Canada, she realized she needed to upgrade her English skills while searching for a job. Evelyn enjoys helping people and volunteered extensively in her former country. Therefore, she decided to volunteer at HSC where she could interact with people in a friendly and supportive environment. Like Charles, Evelyn is a regular volunteer in the Corner Store. To date she has given almost 50 hours of volunteer work. Evelyn dreams of going back to school to study nursing and she hopes that she will be employed at HSC, someday.

Sometimes volunteers make the transition to employment positions within HSC. Such was the case for Jarrod Santos. Jarrod started in a volunteer position in the Corner Store in March 2009. An excellent volunteer, Jarrod soon revealed his leadership qualities. When a paid position became available, it was inevitable that Jarrod be considered to step into those shoes. Jarrod is currently a university student and works part-time at the Corner Store.

Although he does not volunteer at Health Sciences Centre, Rod Lopez is no stranger to volunteers and volunteer work. Rod works at Guildy’s Café as the evening shift supervisor. He provides strong guidance to volunteers, some as young as 14, and teaches many of them those very crucial first job skills. Volunteer programs cannot run effectively without the direction of dedicated staff. HSC is lucky to have a strong team leader like Rod – and Rod’s team of volunteers is lucky to have such a tireless mentor.

If you look in the dictionary for the definition of volunteering we won’t see pictures of Charles, Evelyn, Alliana, Jarrod or Rod. Instead you will find a definition that says:

“A person who voluntarily offers himself or herself for a service or undertaking. A person who performs a service willingly and without pay.”

HSC volunteers give their time, skills and energies for many different reasons. But the bottom line is the same: regardless of motivation, more patients receive a friendly smile and assistance; more visitors are made to feel comfortable and more patient care support work is done. HSC volunteers provide an exceptional level of service and we all owe them a great big Thank You!

In addition to National Volunteer Week, April 18-24, the HSC will celebrate volunteerism with an awards dinner on April 29 at the Delta Hotel in Winnipeg. The theme for this year’s event is “Volunteers – from Compassion to Action.”

Angie Boehm, CAVR, is the Administrator for Retail Services at the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg.

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