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Monte Vista youths are getting involved as members of the ValleyCare Health System Auxiliary, a program that helps keep the Pleasanton hospital and the Valley Memorial Hospital in Livermore running smoothly.
ValleyCare presently has 408 working adult members and 62 junior members, employed in the medical libraries, gift shops, lobby information desks, and in running errands for nurses. “I think they [the junior members] add a lot,” said Corky Randall, president of the auxiliary.
Carl Zimmerman, a 16-year-old junior at Monte Vista, and Punita Juneja, a 17-year-old MV senior, are two of these junior volunteers. “It’s a good time,” said Zimmerman. “I was eager to see what it was like to work in a hospital.” He runs errands for nurses, such as delivering blood samples and sometimes transferring patients from one room to another. Juneja, a four-year member, is kept busy with phone calls and inquiries at the information desk. “It’s a good way to spend your time,” Zimmerman said. “You’re helping people.” For both of them, a medical career in the future is a definite possibility.
Youths have helped out at ValleyCare for more than 25 years; in 1998, teen volunteers from Danville, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton and Livermore gave over 5,800 hours of service. “They do a good job,” said Jack Pons, an auxiliary veteran who supervises the junior members. The ValleyCare Auxiliary is looking for more 14-18-year-old teenagers to join as junior members; the requirements are a 3.0 minimum grade point average and an orientation course. The volunteers work on weekends and after school. “It’s a challenge,” said Juneja. “It has taught me a lot about juggling several things at once.”
Randall also said that older volunteers would be equally welcome to join. For those who are interested, contact the ValleyCare Medical Center at (925) 847-3000 and ask for the auxiliary office.
