Volunteers help Wilcox Memorial Hospital run smoothly every day, directing people to the correct department, helping patients get situated and making their stay as comfortable as possible. One woman dedicated to her work as a volunteer simply because she “likes
Volunteers help Wilcox Memorial Hospital run smoothly every day, directing people to the correct department, helping patients get situated and making their stay as comfortable as possible.
One woman dedicated to her work as a volunteer simply because she “likes helping people” is Betty Moore, president of the Wilcox Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. She’s in charge of all 125 hospital volunteers, and still finds time to volunteer and meet patients.
She started with the Red Cross at military hospitals over 50 years ago, wherever her late husband was stationed, and in states as far away as Indiana and Pennsylvania before moving to Kaua’i.
Moore is also president of the board of Sun Village, the retirement-community condominiums where she and her late husband John “bought a place over the phone” following their first vacation to Kaua’i in 1986.
The “Mind-Body-Spirit” program Moore helped implement at Sun Village focuses on keeping elderly Kaua’i residents healthy. More and more Sun Village residents have gotten off their couches in favor of group evening walks.
At the hospital, Moore helps people apply for volunteer positions and devotes a lot of her time to the social services department.
Moore is also a member of the Kaua’i Hospice’s “Beeper Team,” available any time of day to families when someone passes away unexpectedly.
It is in the social services office that she spends a lot of her time, assisting at least 250 visitors a year who must stay on Kaua’i after being admitted to Wilcox Hospital.
Because she’s been to every state, she said she can connect with many tourist patients and make them feel more at ease. There are two refurbished suites where families of hospitalized visitors may stay if they need to. She helps pack their belongings, find temporary housing and arrange new travel plans.
“Betty’s our ambassador of goodwill — checking in on every guest in the house,” Yukimura added.
Moore’s efforts have earned her numerous awards over the years; she was recognized as one of Kaua’i’s Outstanding Seniors in May 2000.
Since 1972, the Auxiliary has raised over $1 million from the gift shop and thrift shop, and purchases new equipment for the hospital. Their next project involves the new Diagnostics Center, which will incorporate a more patient-friendly design in the x-ray imaging, surgery and endoscopy departments, said Lani Yukimura, Wilcox Health director of marketing and communications.
Volunteers are needed in the gift shop and thrift shop, where they assist customers with purchases, Moore said. Information desk volunteers direct visitors to the correct departments. However, volunteers are also needed to help adult day care and long term care patients.
“Many are retired; other people want to do something for the community,” Moore said. But retirees aren’t the only people involved. Anyone with a love of helping people can join the Auxiliary.
For more information, call 245-1100 and ask for the Hospital Auxiliary.
Staff Writer Kendyce Manguchei can be reached at kmanguchei@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 252).
