Barton Auxiliary donates $230,000 and recognizes volunteers

It was a festive and lively event at the Barton Auxiliary’s annual volunteer appreciation luncheon on Monday, April 13. More than 80 volunteers from the hospital, gift shop, and The Attic Thrift Store attended and were recognized for their service and gifts.

Auxiliary volunteers donated nearly 28,000 hours in 2014. Based on the National Value of Volunteer Time of $22.55 per an hour, their volunteer time equaled a value of $631,400. In addition, the Auxiliary also raised $230,000 from The Attic and gift shop sales, holiday fundraisers, and personal donations. These efforts totaled $861,400 in time and donations.

At the luncheon, the Barton Auxiliary officers presented a $220,000 check to Barton Health. Jason Collins, director of Barton Home Health and Hospice, accepted $10,000 on behalf of Barton Hospice to fund a grief support room for patients and their families in the hospital. Dr. Clint Purvance, Chief Medical Officer, explained the remaining funds would support acquiring a 3-D Breast Tomosynthesis, an advanced type of mammogram.

Dr. Leonard Holmgren, Chief of Staff and Radiologist, accepted the $220,000 donation for Medical Imaging and the Tomosynthesis. “This gift will put Barton Health on the cutting edge of women’s health and medical imaging,” he explained. “Many years ago it was also the Barton Auxiliary who helped fund Barton Hospital’s CT scan, the first CT scan in the Reno, Carson Valley, and Tahoe region. This gift will expand our oncology services with new prevention and early detection services for cancer.”

The 3-D Tomosynthesis is a new product approved for Medicare coverage on January 1, 2015. It will provide detailed 3-D mammography for patients. The plan is to have the new service available by this fall.

Auxiliary members who accrued 1,000 volunteer hours or increments of 1 From left to right with hours listed: Ruthe Segal (3,007 hours), Evelyn Worley (1,096 hours), Bev Keller (7,257 hours), Judy Watson (3,158 hours), Suzanne Jelitko (4,092 hours), Carol McInnes (1,203 hours), Pat Lacey (3,112 hours), Shannon Forrest (1,070 hours), Sandy Killian (1,419 hours), Louise Mitchell (1,047 hours), Mickey Fisher (1,310 hours), Jennifer Holland (1,339 hours), Ruth Burt (3,313 hours), Vera Corley (3,241 hours), Karen DeVos (3,948 hours), Elaine McKenzie (3,686 hours), Linda Morris (3,508 hours), Nancy Sizemore (3,612 hours), Larry Coffman (4,249 hours), Joan Young (4,529 hours), Margaret Grodzik (5,930 hours), Kerstin Hakansson (5,647 hours), Linda Coffman (6,205 hours), Joyce DeWitt (6,725 hours), Betty Duke (6,953 hours), Christine Henderson (6,032 hours), and Fern Riley (6,618 hours).

Since 1960, the Barton Memorial Hospital Auxiliary have been an active group of volunteers who generously give their time and talents to support Barton Hospital, its patients, and the community. To learn more about the Barton Auxiliary, visit www.bartonhealth.org/auxiliary. April 12 to 18 is National Volunteer Week.