NMHC celebrates National Health Care Volunteer Week

Press release

Northern Montana Health Care was proud to celebrate its volunteers during National Health Care Volunteer Week, April 19 through April 25.

President Richard Nixon established National Volunteer Week with an executive order in 1974 as a way to recognize and celebrate the efforts of volunteers. Since then, the original emphasis on celebration has widened; the week has become a nationwide effort to urge people to get out and volunteer in their communities.

Every April, charities, hospitals, and communities recognize volunteers and foster a culture of service.

At NMHC the Northern Montana Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary is going strong. The services and amenities they provide to the organization help the overall experience at NMHC immensely. From delivering coffee to visitors on the medical/surgery floor to sending greeting cards to all of the residents at the Northern Montana Care Center; from playing bingo with an NMCC resident to stocking and staffing two gift shops on campus, these folks volunteer their time and talents to make these things happen.

Although the volunteers are not currently working at NMHC during the COVID-19 crisis, they will be needed once again as the hospital re-opens.

“We’ll need our volunteers more than ever once we resume our normal operations,” Brian Williams, vice president of professional services at NMHC said. “The services they provide are so vital to our overall mission. Their absence is definitely being felt here so we look forward to their return. As folks are working later in life, the overall number of volunteers has declined. We’re hoping that the social distancing being practiced now is eye-opening to our community, and that they will see the need to be more involved in helping others. The human connection is so strong.”

In addition to helping with the gift shops at NMH, volunteers provide assistance with activities at the long-term care facility as well. Whether community members have extra time during the day or on the weekends, the volunteers would love to have them participate.

“We have volunteers that work for us just a few hours a month” Mim Tchida, volunteers supervisor at NMHC said. “We also have volunteers that come in several days a week. The level of involvement is entirely up to them. We’re looking to expand our program so that more folks can experience the joy of volunteering.”

For more information on volunteering, people can call Tchida at 262-1330.