Volunteer on the go even in retirement
4:51 p.m. Friday, July 18, 2008
As a veteran Army medic, a former pubic health employee, and father to a nurse, Garth Hulse knew how he wanted to spend his retirement.
"Helping a bunch of really good staff members get things done," he said.
And that's exactly what he does as a volunteer at Stormont-Vail Healthcare.
Since 1996, Garth has contributed more than 3,000 hours of service and that commitment has made him a proud recipient of a United Way Volunteer Award.
"When I started in ER in '96, I worked as a patient representative, which is kind of a patient advocate, keeping families apprised of where the patient was with treatment and why it had been two hours and they hadn't heard anything," Hulse said.
Now he volunteers three days a week in the Emergency Department, helping operation patients and the Cotton-O'Neil Cancer Center.
Garth is constantly on the go.
"Do whatever needs to be done," he said.
What usually needs to be done is transferring patient charts, checking oxygen tanks, moving beds, and escorting patients.
And his favorite part about volunteering?
"Probably the interface with family members, working with them," Hulse said.
Garth also played a big role in starting the Cotton-O'Neil Cancer Center's volunteer program last year. He worked everyday to get the volunteers trained and make sure all the trial runs went smoothly.
For Garth, it's just a way to give back.
"A lot of us have been pretty blessed with our lives and it's just a great way to get involved and provide a service to the people that really need it," he said.
To read about other outstanding volunteers in our community, go to www.ktka.com/volunteer.
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