Students honored by hospital

POUGHKEEPSIE - In an age where volunteerism seems to be a slowly fading ideal, members of Vassar Brothers Medical Center Auxiliary see it as an opportunity to gain the attention of youngsters, and they’re doing it with incentive, as well.

Over two dozen high school students volunteered in the Poughkeepsie hospital this year, in various roles, whether it would be spending time with senior citizens, or helping out in departments across the campus. Five of them were awarded $1,000 scholarships from the Vassar Brothers Medical Center Auxiliary Wednesday for their hard work and dedication to the care of the hospital’s patients and visitors.

“It is so refreshing finding students like this, volunteering and putting in their time to volunteer at the hospital,” said Auxiliary President Maureen Kangas. “We’re excited about this and we think it helps them.”

John Jay High School senior Taylor Simmons gained motivation for her career path with her volunteer effort.

“I didn’t know how much difference I could make as a volunteer, you know, pushing a juice cart or bringing clean towels or just saying congratulations to someone when they leave,” said Simmons, who will be studying to become an obstetrician at Marywood University in Pennsylvania this coming fall.  “This is what motivated me to keep going, and to see the difference you can make in peoples’ lives and help bring new family members into a family I just thought would be very rewarding.”

Vassar Brothers President and CEO Dr. Daniel Aronzon praised volunteerism and the scholarships as ways to get more youth involved in the growing health industry.

“Healthcare is a growth industry, and the more young kids that we can engage and get them excited about helping other people in the field of healthcare, the better off the entire industry will be.”

Recipients of the $1,000 scholarship included Simmons, Veronica Schneider of Our Lady of Lourdes, Natalie DeRario of Ketcham High School, Daniel Holder of Arlington High School, and Mark Lu of John Jay High School.

The Auxiliary also took the opportunity at its semi-annual luncheon to present the hospital with a $50,000 donation, money generated through running the hospital’s gift shop and refreshment stand in the main lobby, and revenues from its retail shop in the Town of Poughkeepsie, the Nearly New Shop.

Hospital foundation Executive Director Ann Armater is thankful for the gift. “This is critical.  We want to create as comfortable of an environment as we can for our inpatients, especially our oncology patients.  The Auxiliary is sensitive to the idea that the amenities and the environment for cancer patients, and all patients, are very important to convalescence, and as always they have risen to the challenge.”