As part of Tanner Health’s 75th anniversary celebration, the Tanner Health Volunteers enjoyed a banquet and an afternoon of recognition on Friday, Oct. 25, honoring their invaluable contributions throughout almost 60 of those 75 years.
Following introductions by Jeanette Grizzard, director of volunteer services for Tanner Health, Chaplain Ricky Shadrix gave the invocation, and the luncheon began. As the meal continued, Wayne Senfeld, Ed.S, LPC, executive vice president of behavioral health for Tanner Health, introduced the volunteers to the living options and amenities at The Birches on Maple senior living community.
Tanner Health President and CEO Loy Howard then took the group on “a history tour of health care in west Georgia,” with a presentation called “Celebrating 75 Years: Our Past, Present and Future.” Volunteers were then treated to another visual presentation, “What Does Tanner Mean to Me?” leaving everyone in the room a bit teary eyed.
Grizzard expounded on the volunteers’ long history, which was also part of Howard’s presentation. She also presented group members with new teal smocks — a color choice that is part of the color palette for the new branding and logo for Tanner Health that launched on Oct. 1.
Founded in October 1966 as the Pink Ladies at Tanner Memorial Hospital — now Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton — the volunteer group began with just two people per three-hour shift throughout the week. In 1980, the organization changed its name to Tanner Auxiliary to be more inclusive with the admittance of the first male auxilian.
The auxiliary at Villa Rica City Hospital became part of Tanner Health in 1985. Higgins General Hospital’s auxiliary has served that community since 1955, joining Tanner in 1998. The Wedowee Hospital Auxiliary, formed in 2005, joined Tanner when Tanner Medical Center/East Alabama opened in 2016.
“There have been so many changes over the years, but the one thing that stays the same is our commitment to serve our community,” said Grizzard. “That includes everybody in this room.” She then asked each hospital’s auxiliary leadership team to stand up and be recognized with a round of applause.
Greg Schulenburg, executive vice president, chief administrative officer and chief information officer with Tanner Health, spoke as well.
“I know you know this — just how lucky you are to work with Jeanette,” he said. “She is 100% — all the time, every day, every conversation — about you guys. She’s a fierce advocate. You have a true leader in Jeanette and it’s a pleasure to work with her every day.”
Schulenburg highlighted some of the group’s achievements. During the last year, the Tanner Health Volunteers — with an active roster of more than 230 volunteers across the organization — have donated more than 30,000 hours in 37 departments. They also have greeted more than 32,000 patients at their various patient-facing stations across the system, provided directions to more than 26,000 people, answered more than 1,300 calls, walked more than 8,500 people to their destinations and cleaned more than 4,000 wheelchairs.
Tanner Health’s selfless, unpaid volunteers — many of whom have served 20, 30, 40 and even 50 years in their volunteer roles — have donated much more than time to Tanner Health. During the last year, they have helped make several purchases, including: Staxxi wheelchairs to improve the patient experience, “Tanny’s Tots” blankets for our tiniest patients in Tanner nurseries and the NICU, otoscopes and ophthalmoscopes for Tanner Medical Center/East Alabama emergency department rooms, therapeutic pillows for open-heart surgery patients, Christmas decorations for all four hospitals and more.
“This is not just about the labor and what you do,” said Schulenburg. “Sometimes where the rubber meets the road, it’s about money. To date, the auxiliaries — the volunteers — have contributed $2.7 million to Tanner. That is outstanding. People around Tanner truly appreciate everything you’ve accomplished. It takes a lot of funds and a lot of work to make this big machine work.”
At the banquet’s close, all four hospital auxiliaries that make up the Tanner Health Volunteers presented their donations for the year to Grizzard. When added to funds from special sales and overall gift shop profits, their donation to the Tanner Medical Foundation for improving health care in the community totaled an impressive $163,500.
“Thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart,” said Nichole Fannin, executive director of Tanner Medical Foundation, who shared a quote from former President Bill Clinton. “‘Volunteering is an act of heroism on a grand scale, and it matters profoundly. It does more than help people beat the odds; it changes the odds.’ From the board of Trustees for the Tanner Medical Foundation, from all our team and from the thousands of patients that your generosity and service benefits, thank you!”
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The Volunteer Banquet was part of Tanner Health's celebration of its first 75 years since Tanner Memorial Hospital opened in Carrollton in 1949. Several scheduled events are intended to honor the first visionaries who found a way forward to give their neighbors and loved ones a new level of care — and the legacy of those who followed to ensure that care would always be available near home.
This major milestone also provided a unique opportunity to rebrand from Tanner Health System to Tanner Health, with a new logo and a new tagline: Your care, redefined. Learn more and watch the video at tanner.org/75years.