Mariners Hospital Volunteer Is Celebrated for Long-time Community Service
TAVERNIER – April 20, 2021 – Volunteers provide valuable services to their communities and share the great reward of helping others. During National Volunteer Week, April 18 through 24, the Mariners Hospital team recognizes volunteers, like Kathleen Violette, who lend their time, talent and voice to make a difference.
For the past 12 years, Mrs. Violette has spent more than 5,000 hours helping patients, family members, guests and staff at Mariners Hospital. She has worked as a greeter in Outpatient Services and as volunteer coordinator, directing other volunteers and conducting interviews. She currently volunteers from home, helping Molly Vlach, MSN, R.N., CIC, Infection Control manager at Mariners Hospital, with hand hygiene computer entry.
“Kathleen is dependable, trustworthy and compassionate,” said Ms. Vlach. “She is an asset to the hospital, and we are lucky to have her as a volunteer.”
Volunteers come from all walks of life and bring countless skills and abilities. As a retired nurse, Mrs. Violette knew that helping people and volunteering would always be with her. When she and her husband moved to the Keys, one of the first things she did was visit Mariners Hospital.
“I knew from the first day I visited that Mariners was going to like second home,” said Mrs. Violette. “The atmosphere is one where everyone cares for one another, and it truly feels like family.”
Volunteers are valuable assets to the hospital and gain added job skills, a broader network of connections and a feeling of purpose from donating time to help others.
“When you volunteer anywhere, you get back 1,000% of what you give,” Mrs. Violette added. “When I was a nurse, I always appreciated the volunteers, and I find that being one myself now is very rewarding.”
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Mariners Hospital has several volunteers who remain active and help with various tasks throughout the hospital. Anyone interested in becoming a valuable volunteer should contact Volunteer Services at 305-434-3386.
About Mariners Hospital
Mariners Hospital is part of Baptist Health South Florida, the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 11 hospitals, more than 23,000 employees, 4,000 physicians and 100 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning across Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health has internationally renowned centers of excellence in cancer, cardiovascular care, orthopedics and sports medicine, and neurosciences. In addition, it includes Baptist Health Medical Group; Baptist Health Quality Network; and Baptist Health Care On Demand, a virtual health platform. A not-for-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its faith-based charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net/Newsroom and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
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PHOTO/CAPTION:
Pictured, L to R, are Staci Drake, Volunteer Services supervisor, Kathleen Violette, volunteer, and Molly Vlach, MSN, Infection Control manager.
