Cheers to the volunteers
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part of the “PRH: Making A Difference” series of articles appearing daily in the Penticton Herald until Nov. 3, highlighting Penticton Regional Hospital as it moves towards the opening of its new patient care tower in the spring of 2019.
Helping other people is just something that comes naturally to Chuck Waddington. Waddington, one of more than 200 volunteers at Penticton Regional Hospital, has been a friendly face at PRH for the past 16 years.
It’s hard to miss the many volunteers around the hospital lending a helping hand to patients.
Waddington quickly points out he is no different than the others on the hospital’s volunteer team.
“We’re all volunteers and we try to do the best we can. I’m the same as the rest of them,” he said.
Waddington said his desire to help others is the key reason he donates so much of his time at the PRH information desks.
“A few years back, I spent several months in hospital — the first month in Kelowna and the rest here in Penticton,” he recalled.
“The care I received at PRH was the best that anyone could imagine.”
As a patient, Waddington even wrote a letter to the Herald thanking the hospital staff for their help.
“Since that time, I have wanted to help people who come in, as I can understand and connect with their concerns.”
PRH has about 260 volunteers. Carole Patane, the hospital’s co-ordinator of volunteers, said last year these people donated more than 23,000 hours of their time in such areas as ambulatory care, the gift shop, oncology, information desks and much more, including the Candy Striper program for high school students.
Waddington’s previous volunteer experience includes being a driver with the Meals on Wheels program, operated by the Penticton Hospital Auxiliary. Hot and frozen meals are delivered to the homes of dozens of clients three days a week.
He also instructed a small woodworking program at the Westview Extended Care unit.
“We’d all be working on one project at a time — maybe spice racks or something like that,” he said.
“Each session would last about two hours or so and it gave them something positive to do rather than the regular daily routine. I enjoyed it very much.”
Waddington originally comes from Barrie, Ont., where he was a high school teacher for many years in such subjects as phys ed, history and geography. He also worked as a linesman in the major junior Ontario Hockey Association.
“The fellow who encouraged me to get into officiating was Ron Hoggarth, who was a referee in the NHL for a number of years (1971-94). He was a former student of mine.”
After retirement, Waddington moved to Penticton about 20 years ago at the urging of his sister.
“She said it was paradise and you’ll never look back,” he said. “She was right.”
Waddington added that he, like most of the volunteers, looks forward to the completion of Penticton Regional Hospital’s new patient care tower, which is due to open in April 2019.
PRH is currently undergoing a $312-million expansion and the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation is raising $20 million to provide the medical equipment required.
To donate, contact the SOS Medical Foundation at 250-492-9027 or visit our website sosmedicalfoundation.com.