Celebrating Volunteer Appreciation Week at Norman Regional

For the week of April 21- April 28, we are celebrating Volunteer Appreciation Week. It’s a perfect time to reflect on the monumental impact these individuals have on our services and the community at large. As Norman Regional focuses on providing the highest level of care available, our community supports us as well, and our volunteers are a perfect example of this relationship.

Our Volunteers’ Impact

In 2023, our volunteers dedicated 22,121 hours, enhancing our operations and enabling us to save approximately $265,452.

Here's a breakdown of our volunteer team in 2023:

• 101 adults
• 209 college students
• 40 teens
• 4 interns

These figures represent more than just numbers—they signify the hard work and dedication of the 354 volunteers who chose to lend their time and talents to Norman Regional.

Operational Highlights from 2023

New Initiatives: Implementation of a high school observation/intern program and the launch of a Volunteer Incentive and Benefits package.

Community Engagement: Successfully hosted the first Fall Festival post-COVID-19 pandemic.

Continuous Improvement: Established a 45-day check-in process with new volunteers and transitioned from HealthPlex Daily Grind to Norman Regional 9 Daily Grind.

Volunteer Assistance: Our volunteers helped over 40,585 individuals at information desks and made 1,626 flower deliveries to patients.

Comfort in Care: Provided 8,551 comfort items and visited 5,412 patients.

Comparative Insights

Compared to the previous year, our volunteers increased their hours by 1,671 and expanded their reach to three more service areas. This growth underscores the evolving nature of their commitment and the expanding scope of their impact.

Most Active Areas:

• Porter South Information Desk: 2,667 hours
• HealthPlex Gift Shop: 2,442 hours
• Porter Gift Shop: 2,290 hours
• Wound Care: 1,349 hours
• Porter Emergency Department: 1,116 hours

Special Projects

Our volunteers also dedicated 698 hours to special projects such as blood drives, health fairs, food drives and more, showcasing their versatility and willingness to serve in various capacities.

Volunteer Spotlights

Let’s meet some of the volunteers behind these numbers:

Steve Gorton

Role: Main information desk at the Healthplex.

Why I Volunteer: "To give back to my community. It was something my wife and I started after retiring, and it has given us immense satisfaction."

Joe Gil

Role: Norman Regional Scrub Shop.

Volunteer Story: "Retirement in 2015 led me to volunteering, inspired by my wife. The most memorable moment was helping a nurse load up 30 cases of diapers for new mothers."

Claudia Chappel

Roles: Surgery Waiting at Porter Campus.

Why I volunteer: "Each week brings new experiences. I value the connections with patients and fellow volunteers, and appreciate the recognition of our collective efforts."

Val Satterthwaite

Roles: South Information Desk at Porter Campus

Memorable Experience: "Helping a patient secure his hospital gown, I realized the personal impact we can have. It’s much more than just community service; it’s about the personal connections."

Join Us in Celebrating Our Volunteers

As Volunteer Appreciation Week unfolds, we invite everyone to say thank you to our hard working volunteers. Their dedication not only supports our health system, but also strengthens the bonds within our community.

Interested in joining our volunteer team? Visit our volunteer page to learn more about how you can make a difference.