The devotion of volunteers in the state of Iowa helps the state maintain a consistent top 10 national volunteerism ranking. Iowa volunteers contribute an estimated 89.3 million hours of time, or $1.7 billion of economic impact, yearly. This year UI Hospitals and Clinics Volunteer Services were awarded the Governor's Volunteer Award for its Memories Video project. Jean Reed, director of Volunteer Services at UI Hospitals and Clinics, talks about the project:
Who can be nominated to receive a Governor's Volunteer Award?
The Governor's Volunteer Award recognizes groups or individuals who have made outstanding volunteer contributions to benefit Iowans or an Iowa organization.
Who received awards this year at UI Hospitals and Clinics?
This year we had both an individual volunteer, Kris Westphal, for her contributions in support of the Memories Video program; and a group, Cherished Portraits, received the award.
Tell us about those two projects and what was so special about them.
Kris has served more than 1,500 hours creating video mementoes without charge for patients who are battling life-threatening illness. She makes videos that reflect the patient's life through interviews; information from family members, friends, doctors, nurses, or others—whoever the patient or family would like included. They can bring in still photos that they'd like included in the video, and it's all put to a music background.
The Cherished Portraits program provides private, caring, professional portrait sessions at no charge for infants and children with life-threatening illnesses who are facing end of life or families who have lost a child. The primary photographers sustaining that Cherished Portraits program are Nina Scott, Mindy Decker, and Jaimy Yoder, with support from staff members Sheila Frascht and Jane Wilkens. Both of those programs have benefited literally hundreds of patients and families at our hospital and provide personal keepsakes that allow families to keep their loved ones close at heart.
How was this project selected as a nominee for the Governor's Volunteer Award?
The Iowa Board of Regents submits nominations for all Regent institutions and our recommendations to them are based on what contributions truly stand out among the tens of thousands of volunteer hours that are contributed here yearly. Both Kris's videos and the photographs provided through Cherished Portraits represent the very best of Volunteer Service at Iowa's academic medical center and I think are perfect examples of the Iowa Difference.
When were the awards announced?
There are several regional presentation ceremonies that are scheduled across Iowa each June.
How was the Governor's Volunteer Award presented?
They're presented in person and include a certificate signed by the governor with the state of Iowa seal on them, an official pen, and a professional photograph of the nominee receiving their award on stage from the governor or lieutenant governor during the ceremony.
What do awards like this one mean to all the volunteers that donate their time at UI Hospitals and Clinics?
It's just wonderful to have the tremendous contributions recognized like this with prestigious state-level recognition. There are so many fabulous people volunteering their time to improve the patient and family experience at our hospital and having our governor acknowledge these contributions reflects very well on the value and importance of these gifts. |
