It’s National Volunteer Week! During the week of April 21 – 26, we recognize the valuable contributions of volunteers throughout the Aultman system. At Aultman Orrville Hospital, Jackie Spangler is a familiar face in endocrinology, where she volunteers four hours per week, handling a wide variety of tasks.

Jackie spent her professional career as a phlebotomist in hospitals. When she stepped away from that role for health reasons, she missed being with patients.

About five years ago, she decided to volunteer at Aultman Orrville Hospital.

“I always appreciated the volunteers when I worked at a hospital,” Jackie said. “I wanted to provide the same assistance to the staff that volunteers had provided for my team.”

Jackie serves in endocrinology, with a diverse range of responsibilities. These include keeping the warmer stocked with blankets, delivering juice and crackers to patients and accompanying patients to treatment rooms. She also helps to safely transport patients to their vehicles after they are discharged.

Jackie most enjoys having the opportunity to chat with patients. “I like to talk to them to help ease their minds,” Jackie said. “I try to lift their spirits and help them stay calm.”

In fact, it’s a sense of community that drew her back into the healthcare field. “I like meeting so many different people,” she said. “I really enjoy the family atmosphere.”

Outside her volunteer role, Jackie spends as much time as she can outdoors, whether reading a good book or touching up the yard. She enjoys camping, hiking and kayaking. She also has a knack for fixing things. When something breaks down, she’ll take it apart to see how it works, then do her own repairs.

Family is important to Jackie, as well. She has lost her parents and one brother and cherishes time with her surviving two brothers and many nieces and nephews.

She highly recommends volunteering, especially for those who love being around people.

“As a volunteer, you spend the day smiling, communicating and doing anything you can to help other people,” she said. “I have found that volunteering helps my psyche because I enjoy helping others.”

If you would like to learn more about volunteering at Aultman Orrville Hospital, please call Loretta Raff at 330-684-4789 or email loretta.raff@aultman.com.