SPRINGFIELD – Since 1950, an all-volunteer staff has been committed to supporting patient services and contributing to the local hospital. On Monday, May 19, the PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center Guild celebrated 75 years of service.
“It means an awful lot to us,” said Cheri Brokaw, marketing chair and volunteer at the Guild since the 1970s. “I mean, 75 years, think of it. That’s three generations..We’re very excited about it. We’re very proud,” she said.
Guild members helped fund the Ronald McDonald Heartfelt House in 2017.
The Sacred Heart Hospital Guild operates the Heartfelt Gifts Shop in the RiverBend lobby. The Guild contributes financially to the hospital by donating the proceeds from the shop to support patient services. The most recent contribution was $1 million for the construction of the Heartfelt House in 2017. The Ronald McDonald Heartfelt House offers pediatric and adult family suites for families of patients visiting the hospital.
Guild members contribute to the hospital by providing a welcoming presence for visitors.
“We’re just there to lend an ear, maybe a smile, or a kind word. That’s as big a part of what we’re there for,” Brokaw said.
Pam Russell, a volunteer since the 1970s, noticed a hospital visitor looking lost during this interview.
“Can I help you? You look like you’re looking for something or somebody,” Russell inquired before going over and helping them on their way.
“That’s just another thing that we all do,” Brokaw said, reacting to the unfolding scene. “We’re here to help.”
Leadership, commitment
Volunteer Nancy Glascock is embarking on her third round as Guild president, following Russell. “I always remember the words, ‘we can do better together, better than we can do alone,’ and we’ve done that,” Glascock said.
“It’s a very worthwhile experience,” said Brokaw. “We run a retail store, we run a business, and it’s all volunteer. So it takes expertise, it takes commitment. For me personally, I needed that. Retirement is fun, but you need something to challenge you and keep your brain working.”
During Monday’s celebration ceremony, Alicia Beymer, SHMC’s chief administrative officer, outlined the Guild’s modest start, with nine members selling gum and candy out of a phone booth. She also mentioned that many early members’ names are unknown because the women would sign formal documents with their husbands’ surnames.
“This celebration reminds us of those whose shoulders we stand upon in achieving our current successes and the foundation we must sustain for generations that follow,” said Russell at a podium before a crowd of past volunteers. “So many members deserve credit, and thank you for making the Guild what it is today. We can call them by name. We can make tangible awards, but the most fulfilling tribute we can pay to them is to carry on.”
Some 50 past volunteers were given flower bouquets to celebrate the Guild’s milestone birthday. Since its conception, the Guild has contributed nearly $5 million to the hospital.
According to Brokaw, the Guild hopes to “keep building on their successes and bringing up leadership. And that’s something we’ll be looking at in the next couple of years, and really reaching out into the community to find those people to come in and keep it going strong.”
