Central Peninsula Hospital honored its many volunteers with a summer barbecue August 16 and the auxiliary presented two CPH employees with $2,500 scholarships to continue their health care education.

Sue Sanders is the CPH volunteer coordinator.

“Today was a day for the hospital to show how much they appreciate the help and work that our volunteers do here every day, they make coming here a pleasant experience as soon as you want in the door,” she said.

Volunteers and the CPH auxiliary raise funds throughout the year at the gift shop and by holding bazaars and book sales a couple times a year. Those funds are then reinvested in employee scholarships to continue their medical education. According to board member Will Darsey they try to award four $1,000 scholarships every year.

“We’ve been at it for many years and have returned a lot of satisfied students who continue to serve our community. This year we awarded $2,500 one-time scholarships as an exception to the rule but very deserving,” said Darsey.

Marjorie Dempster has worked as a phlebotomist in blood draw at CPH for almost three years.

“I’m just like a big mosquito, but please don’t swat it,” laughed Dempster. “I’m taking classes to become a medical lab scientist and hope to get hired downstairs here. Rather than just drawing the blood we actually run the tests on the samples and I’ve been able to do my clinicals down there and I’m enjoying it and am grateful for the opportunity.”

Receiving the other $2,500 scholarship was Shayne Pond, the director at CPH of the emergency department, OB unit and oncology division, who has been with CPH for 11 years.

“I’m proud to be part of this great organization and keep those departments going. My goal is to complete my Master’s degree so I can further contribute to the hospital here and help in its leadership,” said Pond.

Asked about how important the volunteers are to the hospital Pond said, “In my role here I get to see three different departments and the volunteers are integral in each one, helping to navigate our patients through the hospital, in oncology they help get them upstairs to their doctor’s appointments and in OB they help get people to and from the department and are there to see their loved ones, they help with the babies and with those who are having a tough time in the oncology area or infusion, they help patients get through the difficult times so they always a smiling face and willing to help out and are always around except at night and we miss them but everybody as to sleep at some point. They are a phenomenal asset to our community and hospital family. They create the environment that is here now and is part of the healing process.”

According to Darsey if you’d like to become a volunteer you can fill out an application at CPH and you will be trained for the particular area you choose to volunteer for.

“We can always use another volunteer,” he said.