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★ ★ ★ Salute to ★
★
★
★ ★ Volunteers ★ ★

CLEVELAND CLINIC MARTIN HEALTH AUXILIARY DELRAY MEDICAL CENTER

George Sweeney Stan Birken

Following a 46-year career with Florida Power and You could say Stan Birken is always making sure
Light, George Sweeney knew he wanted to remain busy in patients are where they need to be. Stan volunteers as a
his retirement years. In 2003, he joined the Cleveland transporter at Delray Medical Center. His main job to
Clinic Martin Health Auxiliary and 16 years later he’s still wheel patients when they arrive or leave the hospital to
going strong as co-chair in the emergency department whereever they need to go. Stan says he wanted to start
(ED) at the Martin South Hospital in Stuart. At the age of volunteering so he ccould be part of a courteous and
82, Sweeney is driven by the strong work ethic he learned caring staff. His favorite part about being a volunteer is
while studying at the Milton Hershey School in having the opportunity to assist patients and visitors
Pennsylvania. To date, he has contributed 4,338 hours to navigate the hospital when they are in a time of need.
the Auxiliary . “This is the type of job that requires you to When Stan isn’t volunteering, he’s caring and looking
closely follow procedures,” he said. “Every day is different. One of the most important after his rescue dog, Daisy. Stan can’t say enough good things about being a volutneer.
things we do is to prepare rooms for the next patient. As Stan says, “I know no better place to be at than at Delray Medical Center.”
Sweeney feels comfortable in the challenging, fast-paced environment. “The ED is a
delicate place for volunteers to work,” he said. “I enjoy keeping things clean and orderly ,
and making sure our caregivers have the supplies they need.” Adriana Moscovich

Adriana Moscovich is relatively new to
Shelley Guerard
volunteering, but in her short time, she has
made a big impact. Adriana serves as a pet
Since joining the Cleveland Clinic Martin Health therapist bringing her two dogs, Breck and
Auxiliary 14 years ago, Shelley Guerard has served in a Boulder, to spread their love to the patients
number of leadership roles. From recording secretary to at Delray Medical Center. Adriana says she
president to committee chair, Guerard has been fully wanted to become a hospital volunteer
engaged in supporting and enhancing the Auxiliary’s oper- because she says its important to give back
ations. To date, she has contributed 16,360 volunteer to others. What she enjoys the most from
hours. volunteering is seeing the smiles on people’s
With a master’s degree in mathematics and 36 years of faces when she brings her dogs to visit. When Adriana is not with her dogs volun-
professional experience with Verizon, Guerard is often teering, she is going on walks, runs to the beach and grooming Breck and Boulder on
called upon for her financial and operational acumen. a weekly basis. Adriana would tell anyone who would consider volunteering that it’s
Among her many accomplishments is significant growth easy, and don’t ever think twice. To her, there is no better feeling in the world.
of the organization’s PERKS program which provides discounts to associates and volun- Adriana says when you spread love, you make a huge difference in someone’s life.
teers for local businesses and services. “It’s important to give back to the community ,”
she said. “I want to share my time and talents in areas that are important to me. I chose
to join the Martin Health Auxiliary because I believe we’re very fortunate to have such
an outstanding hospital in our community .”
JUPITER MEDICAL CENTER

Dino Cagni
GOOD SAMARITAN MEDICAL CENTER
Forty years ago, on Valentine’s Day 1979, Dino Cagni
literally opened Jupiter Medical Center as its first presi-
dent and CEO. Cagni held the job for 10 years, before
James Whited moving on to other leadership roles and later working as
a consultant and in real estate. Now retired, Cagni is a
James Whited loves what he does so much that it volunteer at the hospital, devoting four hours every
earned him Volunteer of the Year in 2018 at Good Friday afternoon to working in the main lobby as a
Samaritan Medical Center. For the past two years, James greeter to patients, visitors and employees. Cagni, 87,
has been spending his time helping patients in the began his new role at Jupiter Medical Center in 2016.
oncology department, and working on making sure sup- “My golf game started to deteriorate to the point that it
plies are always restocked. Both James and his wife were was a waste of time,” he joked. “I thought it would be interesting to go back to Jupiter
one time patients at Good Sam, and after receiving won- Medical Center and see what has happened since I left.” His primary responsibility is
derful care, they wanted to pay it forward to volunteer at to greet, direct, and escort guests to their destinations throughout the hospital. “I like
the hospital. James loves meeting new people, and also everything about it,” Cagni said. “It’s an opportunity to make contact with people –
caring for them, so this position gives him a chance to especially the employees.”
do just that. When he’s not volunteering, you can find James fishing, fixing computers
and enjoying his hobby of photography. Mary Imle

Stephen Rakes Mary Imle began working as a volunteer at Jupiter
Medical Center on the first Sunday in February 1981.
When Stephen Rakes was 12 years old, he was diag- To date, she has donated more than 13,500 hours of
nosed with diabetes. It was then that he grew interested service to the medical center. Her first assignment was
in medicine and helping those who were sick. Stephen working in the gift shop, where she and other volun-
is a volunteer in the admitting department. His respon- teers sold sweets and various nick knacks to raise funds
sibilities include helping patients check-in to the hospi- for the hospital. “We didn’t have a cash register,” she
tal, and also making them as comfortable as possible by said. “We used muffin tins for the change.” Today, at 91
providing blankets, water and just keeping them compa- years young, Imle supports the hospital’s Thrift Shop by
ny. For Stephen, volunteering gives him a chance to help coordinating donations to the hospital from neighbors
others, and to help navigate what can be an overwhelm- in her apartment building once a month. She also works as a greeter every Thursday
ing time for patients. He says that it always feels better afternoon in the hospital’s main lobby, welcoming patients and visitors and helping
to give than to receive. When Stephen isn’t volunteering, them find their way on campus. If Imle senses that patients are anxious about having
he enjoys photography, traveling and exercising. surgery, she’ll do her best to calm their fears. “I’ll give them a hug, and say, ‘Look I’ve
had surgery here. I guarantee you they’re going to take very good care of you.’”

22 April 2019 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News