McLeod Medical Center Dillon recently recognized twenty area teens for their participation in the 2015 Teen Summer Volunteer Program. A closing ceremony was held at McLeod Dillon for the teens and their parents.

During their summer vacation, the teens volunteered to work directly with hospital health care professionals for at least 20 hours per month gaining experience in a variety of health care occupations.
Candice Tyler, Teen Volunteer Coordinator, gave some brief information on the program’s origin. “The volunteer program began in 1988 as an idea to interest high school teens in health care careers. Offering teens an opportunity for ‘hands on’ participation in a health care environment has always been the program’s objective.”
Dr. Kris Crawford, Medical Director of McLeod Dillon Emergency Services, opened the ceremony and thanked the teens for sharing their summer with McLeod Dillon.  He also expressed her gratitude and appreciation for the 775 hours of teen volunteer service to the hospital this summer. “I’ve been impressed with the hard work and involvement of this volunteer group. You are to be commended for sharing your time and talents. We hope you will remember this as a rewarding experience. I hope this experience has helped each of you decide if a career in health care is right for you.  There are many opportunities in health care in both patient care areas and in business services.  From experience, I can say that it’s a rewarding career choice,” said Dr. Crawford.
The evening’s special guest speaker was Dr. Nardin Khalil, physician at Dillon Family Medicine. She spoke to the teens about the importance of giving back through volunteerism, noting the impact volunteering can have on their future career choices.  When addressing the group, she shared “This program is a great opportunity for you to receive hands-on experience in different areas of healthcare. While volunteering your time, you receive so much in return.  You also have a hand in positively shaping the lives of patients being cared for at the facility.  I encourage you to always look for opportunities to serve others in your community,” said Dr. Khalil.
Candice personally thanked the volunteers as they each received a certificate of appreciation. “The teens worked in various areas of the hospital during the months of June, July, and early August performing such tasks as transporting patients, answering phones, making patient charts, supporting outpatient department staff, assisting with marketing projects and a myriad of others.  Last, but not least, they brought a lot of joy to our patients and staff with their friendly smiles and greetings.  I have greatly enjoyed being the coordinator for this group of teens and look forward to next summer’s group,” said Candice.
The list of teens honored along with the number of years each has volunteered in parentheses include: Madie Benton (1 Year), Catherine Bowen (1 Year), Brianna Carter (2 Years), Maya Carter (1 Year), Lydia Floyd (1 Year), Erin Hamer (2 Years), Myers Hamer (1 Year), Logan Hennecy (1 Year), Dylan Ivey (2 Years), Tyrrany Lampley (1 Year), Marnija Lewis (1 Year), Shelby Manning (1 Year), Filiberto Mendoza (2 Years), Marquasia Mitchell (1 Year), Madison Moody (1 Year), Ravin Norris (1 Year), Anna Price (2 Years), Heather Stackhouse (2 Years), Leah Stephens (2 Years), and Katelyn Tallon (2 Years).
Leah Stephens, having volunteered 62.5 hours, received a certificate of special recognition for most volunteer hours.
A certificate of excellence was presented to Brianna Carter, Erin Hamer, Dylan Ivey, Filiberto Mendoza, Anna Price, Heather Stackhouse, Leah Stephens and Katelyn Tallon for most volunteer years, each volunteering 2 years.  
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Candice encouraged all the teens to return for next year’s Summer Teen Volunteer program.