GB Hospital volunteers keep things rolling
BY FRANKLIN HAYES Gulf Breeze News franklin@gulfbreezenews.com

Franklin Hayes/Gulf Breeze News ABOVE: Wendy Brandon, auxilary president, delivers fresh water to patients. Brandon said her volunteers work approximately 2,800 hours a year to serve the 60-bed facility.

When Wendy Brandon was comforting her terminally ill mother in the hospital nearly 10 years ago, one element of that experience gave her great comfort - the pink shirts of various auxiliary volunteers.

"They would pop their head in and ask if we needed anything or if I needed a break," recalls Brandon. "It was so comforting to know someone was thinking of our needs when we weren't. That's when I knew I had to become a volunteer."

Thus began the nine-year volunteering crusade that led Brandon to become the president of the Gulf Breeze Hospital Auxiliary. Brandon, who claims to make 25 pots of coffee a day at the hospital, coordinates roughly 150 volunteers of all ages who fill positions in nearly every department of the hospital. The pink - and blue - shirt wearing volunteers can be found everywhere from the emergency room to intensive care to outpatient surgery. Granted, the volunteers aren't actually conducting surgery or operating defibrillators, but they are contributing to the everyday operation of the hospital in a huge way.

FAR LEFT: Volunteer Marie Boykin operates the cash register at the hospital's gift shop. Volunteers estimate the gift shop generates $35,000 to $45,000 a year in profit for the hospital.

"We're the extra pair of hands and feet to help the employees," Brandon said. "It's been said that our volunteers do the work of 17 full-time employees."

Brandon said her volunteers work approximately 2,800 hours a year to serve the 60-bed facility.

"There are some hospitals in the state that have 300 to 500 beds and they don't have that many hours," she said. "That just goes to show that we are a

very community-oriented hospital."

Albert Harris has volunteered with the hospital for 5 years as a volunteer chaplain. "I just want to be there if they need me", he says. "It's about others."

Sam Incontro, who became a volunteer at the urging of 12- year veteran Clyde Broome, agrees.

"I've volunteered for seven years and it's good to be there and do whatever we can."

Broome enjoys serving both the hospital and the auxiliary, and is working as treasurer for the second time.

Brandon's favorite element of that community is the gift shop. Brandon takes great pride in its efficiency and profitability and says it contributes between $35,000 and $45,000 a year to the hospital's general revenue. Administrators can then spend that money on important equipment like mammogram and dexascan machines.

For others, it's service in support of the nurses that makes the job worthwhile. "I come to work to back up the doctors and the nurses," says Hubert Edgar. "I've been doing it for 14 years and I hope to keep on doing it."

New volunteer Sharon Wrynn agrees. "I like making a difference in their day as they work to serve the patients. It's not work; it's fun."

There will soon be more opportunities to volunteer. Brandon is also very optimistic about the impending opening of the Andrews Institute. "It's going to be fantastic," she said emphatically. "Hopefully it's an extra opportunity for people to volunteer. Anything to help Gulf Breeze Hospital."

Vici Papajohn contributed to this report.