Winter Haven Hospital Honors 2013 Volunteers

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – May 30, 2013 – Winter Haven Hospital recently honored more than 120 volunteers at the Annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon held at Lake Ashton during National Volunteer Week.

During the luncheon, newly elected officers of the Winter Haven Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary were installed for the 2012-2013 year. These are Anna Kauffman, president; Charlotte Stangry, first vice president; Sheila Hartt, second vice president; Shelly DiNunzio, recording secretary; Janice Bullock, corresponding secretary; Marion Green, treasurer; John Gibson, historian; Joan Johnston, parliamentarian.

In addition, members of the Auxiliary presented a check for $150,000 to Lance Anastasio, Winter Haven Hospital president and CEO and to Joel Thomas, Vice President, Development, Marketing & Public Relations. The contribution represented the sixth installment on the auxiliary’s current project pledge of $1 million dollars for the Volunteer Auxiliary Grande Lobby Construction/Renovation. This brings the total funding to date to $760,000 for this project.

The Auxiliary annually sponsors three Youth Scholarship Awards in the amount of $2,000 each to recognize outstanding youths in the community. Youth Scholarship Awards were presented to Nicholas Davis from Winter Haven High School and Maribel Ramirez from Lake Region High School. The third scholarship, known as the Christopher Whitehead Memorial Scholarship Award and reserved for a teen member of the Auxiliary, was presented to Craige Carr from Winter Haven High School.

Other awards presented to Winter Haven Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary members were

 Volunteer Spirit Award to Pete Vanderveen and Kathleen Hill

 Volunteer Recruitment Award to Mildred Hrezo, Marilyn Pearce, Linda Gross, Gail Schutz, Norm Bailey and Gene Keating

Geese I Award to Ron Davey, Curt Dudley, Geraldine Eldridge, John Emch, Jack Fletcher, Elaine Goddard, Joyce Hoffstetter, Cynthia Hurley, Alice Torgler, Larry Torgler, Sally Mitchell, Dianne Murphy, Laurie Nordby, Bev Peer, Bob Pierce, Maria Reiner, Maria Schenkel, Marilyn Shepherd, Dorothy Stechert, Dennis Thibodeaux, Arline Wielengla and Phyllis Jean Wimberly

 Geese II Award to Saundra Baughn, Jean Evans, Linda Lubell, Ann Morton, Sue Peters, Lonnie Rollison and Jane Ann Sarber

 Above & Beyond Award to Sue Marshall, Jean Stein and Diana Bachelder

 Caring Heart Award to Liz Audley

 Essential Piece Award to Marion Green

 The Power of One Award to Dorothy Pursley

 Beyond the Call Award to Don Cohn

 Making A Difference Award to Carmelita Amann, Sunny Shelton and Mildred Hrezo

About the Winter Haven Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary

Since 1938, the Winter Haven Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary has provided thousands of hours of volunteer support to Winter Haven Hospital. The Auxiliary has also donated thousands of dollars to help finance hospital building projects, purchase new equipment and sponsor healthcare related programs. The Auxiliary operates the hospital's gift shops located at the Regency Center for Women & Infants, Winter Haven Hospital and at the Gil Jones Center. The ongoing service of the Auxiliary touches the lives of many patients, visitors, physicians and employees alike. These contributions continue to grow as an example of the Auxiliary's committed support of Winter Haven Hospital's mission.

About Winter Haven Hospital

Established in 1926, Winter Haven Hospital serves as the major medical center for east Polk and Highlands counties and the U.S. Highway 27 / Ridge Corridor. The 527-bed hospital is a locally owned and operated not-for-profit organization. The hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission and has more than 300 board-certified physicians on its medical staff representing every major specialty. Affiliated with the University of Florida College of Medicine/Shands Healthcare, Winter Haven Hospital also is the home of Bostick Heart Center, the Cassidy Cancer Center, the Regency Center for Women & Infants, the Center for Urology and the Robotics Institute, a nationally accredited Stroke Center and the nationally accredited Joy-Fuller Rehab Center. The hospital has been recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) with the prestigious designation of Magnet status, recognition granted to only 5 percent of the nation’s hospitals. With more than 2,500 employees, Winter Haven Hospital is east Polk County’s largest private employer and has been recognized by Polk Works Workforce 2020 as one of the county’s best places to work. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.winterhavenhospital.org.

###