Dozens of Mercy Medical Center Volunteers filled the large banquet room at the Merced Golf & Country Club last Friday for their annual appreciation luncheon.
Everyone was honored for their service, including some standouts who went beyond expectations while helping visitors and patients navigate the hospital system in Merced. Volunteers also run the center’s gift shop, and take part in fundraising activities to support student volunteers with scholarships.
Charles Kassis, president and CEO of Mercy Medical Center, was in attendance, and he gave the volunteers a positive update about ongoing improvements at Mercy. He said they were in the process of hiring more doctors, and in addition, professional training has started on Mercy’s new, innovative DaVinci Surgical Robot, which was delivered on March 28.
“Your support allows us the opportunity to do great things,” Kassis told the volunteers. “We couldn’t do this without you.”
New hospital visiting hours were established recently, and they are: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., along with special hours for ICU and the Family Birthing Center. Volunteers were credited for helping to make a smooth transition in that effort. Also it was revealed that five Mercy volunteers are in contention for top, company-wide recognitions in May. Honors are going to those who represent Dignity Health’s five core values: Dignity, Collaboration, Justice, Stewardship and Excellence.
Mercy’s Volunteer Services have also announced their 2018 scholarships for high school seniors going on to college. Applicants need to have at least 200 hours of volunteering at Mercy and at least a 2.5 GPA. They awarded three scholarships of $1,000 each to Christy Gonzalez, Amrita Randhawa, and Alexus Yang.
Christy Gonzalez of Merced High — 282 student volunteer hours. Christy is planning to attend Brigham Young University where she will be majoring in Neuroscience. Her plan is to become a physician.
Amrita Randhawa of Livingston High — 240 student volunteer hours. Amrita plans on attending CSU, Long Beach. She will be majoring in Biological Sciences and pursuing a career as a pediatrician.
Alexus Yang – El Capitan High — 486 student volunteer hours. Alexus plans to attend CSU, Chico. She will be majoring in Nursing and plans to become a Nurse/Midwife.
These scholarship recipients not only had outstanding grades and dedication to their schools and community but also a tremendous amount of respect for their families. They have a true passion for careers in health care field. Volunteering has taught all of these young women valuable lessons about teamwork, that they are never alone, and the meaning of “Hello Humankindness.”