Sutter Tracy Community Hospital Needs Volunteers

August 2004

Tracy, CA – Rapidly growing Sutter Tracy Community Hospital is in need for caring adults who make time to give to their community. Growth, the need to keep expenses of running a not-for-profit hospital down and Sutter Tracy's desire to provide exceptional customer service is fueling the need for more volunteers.

"Volunteers have done a wonderful job over the years and made many significant contributions," said Sutter Tracy CEO Gary Rapaport. "We're incredibly grateful for their loyalty, caring, and selfless devotion to helping our staff, patients, and visitors."

According to Independent Sector, for the year 2003 the national estimated value of a volunteer hour of work was $17.19. "While in many ways the service volunteers provide is immeasurably valuable, this national estimate provides a useful baseline for understanding the enormous economic contribution volunteers give to their communities," says Diana Aviv, President and CEO, Independent Sector.

"We need men and women of all ages," states Sal Tompkins, manager of Volunteer Services. "We encourage people of diverse cultural and social backgrounds to apply so that our volunteers are as diverse as Tracy's population."

There are many opportunities of service at Sutter Tracy. You can choose to volunteer in a number of areas:

  • Gift Shop, where volunteers can do retail sales type duties in a pleasant, friendly atmosphere
  • Information Desk, where each guest gets a bright smile and "How may I help you?" Volunteers direct visitors to patient rooms or offices, deliver papers, flowers or mail to patients.
  • Hospitality is an interface between surgical patients and their worried families. They serve coffee and lots of T.L.C.
  • The Escort Service team transports patients in and out of the Hospital in a wheelchair. They also transport laboratory samples or patient charts.

There are other areas of service such as:

  • Sewing puppets and making over a 1,000 new-born bonnets last year,
  • Assembling packets for various departments with medical information for patients,
  • Fund-raisers and clerical workers.

Some of the benefits of volunteering are:

  • The opportunity to provide service and give back to the community and the Hospital
  • Social contact with some of the nicest people
  • Opportunities for leadership and exposure to the medical field
  • Good background for exploring new career options for young and older people alike
  • Good way for re-entry adults to get back into the job market
  • Longer life by staying active and engaged
  • Continuous learning
  • Makes you feel good and increases your sense of satisfaction
  • Having fun!!!

Volunteers receive orientations, specialized training and on-going support. They enjoy assigned parking and a free meal whenever they complete a four-hour shift. The Hospital requires that they are screened for TB and wear a uniform. They need to be willing to commit to a minimum of 100 hours per year and show up for their scheduled shifts.

Those interested can call Sal Tompkins the Volunteer Manager, who will interview them and help match them to a job that fits their schedule, time and talents. She can be reached at 209-833-2328.