Wednesday, December 29, 1999
Volunteering brings generations together

By PAT NEWMAN
Staff Writer

 

Fayette Community Hospital has 286 auxiliary volunteers, among them Barbara Davenport, her mother, Marilyn Sullivan and her daughter, Jessica Davenport.

The grandmother, mother and daughter trio is the only multigenerational volunteer team at the two-year-old hospital.

Together, they have logged many hours during the holiday season, decorating the lobby of the hospital, preparing tray favors and helping to coordinate the hospital-wide gift drive for the Fayette County Department of Family and Children Services.

“Barbara is an incredible volunteer,” said Maredith Buco, president of the hospital's volunteer auxiliary. “She is a charter member of the auxiliary and her daughter, Jessica, has worked two summers as a junior volunteer,” Buco added. “It's an absolute delight having them.”

Davenport introduced her mother to the rewards of hospital volunteerism when Sullivan retired a year and a half ago from her position as manager of Bookland in Fayetteville. Sullivan enjoys working on the patient floors and helping to handle whatever loose ends need tying up, whether it be checking for door name cards, pouring ice water or combing an elderly patient's hair.

“I like working with the patients,” Barbara Davenport added. I work with a lot of elderly people and also give tours to school children. It gives me an opportunity to give something back to the community and I have gotten so much in return,” she said.

Her daughter, Jessica, 17, is a senior at Fayette County High School and has just been accepted by the University of Georgia and Georgia State University. “I may go into medicine,” she said, but has not made any firm decisions about her course of study to date. She is a member of the Beta Club and Red Cross at Fayette County High.

Since the inception of the volunteer auxiliary, which took place prior to the hospital's official opening, volunteers have given 72,372 hours as of November 1999.

“We are looking for volunteers,” Buco noted. There are three four-hour shifts to choose from between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., according to Buco.

For information phone the auxiliary office at 770-719-7098.


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