Emergency Service Volunteers

In honor of National Volunteer Week, April 10-16, I thought I would share some of my wonderful experiences with volunteerism.

Last February, I had the opportunity to meet some folks who volunteer with the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance Association. It wasn’t an opportunity that I had planned. It happened quite by chance.

Since my husband was away on a trip, my dog and I decided to have a pizza party! We do this frequently. We called the local pizza joint and ordered a medium pepperoni pizza. The feast of pizza occurred while I was watching the television news reports. Belle ate her pizza out of her bowl on the floor, and I had mine as I sat on the sofa. It was a grand time.

About forty-five minutes after we had had our dinner, I began to feel a tightness in my chest. It was something that I had never experienced before. I also noticed that might heart rate seemed to be a bit more rapid than normal. Because I was concerned, I decided to open the back door and get some fresh air. I walked around the house for about ten minutes trying to calm myself down and get things back to normal.

When my discomfort continued for more than fifteen minutes, I decided I would call 911 just to chat. I thought the operator would tell me that I was just imagining things and that I would be fine in a few moments. I was quite surprised when she asked me to go to the front door and unlock the storm door. “The ambulance is on its way,” she said. I assured her that it would just be a matter of time before I felt better, but she stayed on the line with me until I could see the ambulance at the corner of the street.

The EMT’s came very calmly into the house and greeted me and Miss Belle. She was quite happy to have company. They took my blood pressure and pulse and watched my breathing. We discussed heart attack symptoms and the tightness in my chest, which had not eased up. All my vital signs appeared to be normal. One of the EMT’s asked if it might be indigestion. I had never had indigestion before. She asked if there might be Mylanta or Tums in the house. I told her that since indigestion had never been a problem that I didn’t keep those things around.

“Baking soda,” she said. “Do you have baking soda?” I showed her to the kitchen and she mixed some baking soda with some water and told me to drink it all. We returned to the living room where the other volunteer ambulance members were. I sat on the sofa and then let out an enormous belch. To say that I was embarrassed would be an understatement. “How does the tightness feel now?” she asked. I belched one more time and was delighted to tell her that it was gone.

That’s when the real feelings of foolishness kicked in. I had these wonderful, caring people in my living room because I had indigestion and didn’t know it! They all assured me that it had been wise to call and that situations like that are precisely why they are on duty. “We prefer these types of calls,” one of the EMTs said.

I know that that night I was very grateful that Brunswick was blessed with such a dedicated group of volunteers. People who are willing to give their time and efforts to provide a service for the community. Be sure to thank the volunteers near your home this month. They truly are lifesavers!

Goodbye my dear friend

Today my Cody went off to that big range in the sky. I will miss him terribly. He was a good friend.

Cody was a carrot fiend. He loved carrots! Of course, he never turned down apples, though. They were just as good to my big guy as those carrots. Cody would sniff your pockets when you went down to the barn, expecting a treat. He could spy the treat bag from a distance and was waiting at the gate to greet you if you were carrying that bag.

Cody was also a big lug. When we went riding in the back field, he'd try to head off to the barn when he got tired and thought the ride was over. Not much for work, he liked to just graze in his field.

Cody was a champion, too! We got at least one white ribbon (4th place, and a few pinks (5th) in our career of competition. I always felt badly if we placed though. It meant taking a ribbon from a nine or ten year old little girl and her horse!

Cody was in the newspaper once, picture and all. We used him as the horse for Don Quixote when the Fredericktowne Players did "Man of La Mancha."

Cody's best buddy was Sebastian. They lived together for several years before they even came to our place. And they were here together grazing in the field for some twelve or thirteen years. Sebby died in August of 2007. Cody took his death rather hard, and so in the spring of 2008, we brought Cocoa to the house to be Cody's new buddy.

In the spring of 2010, Cody was diagnosed with Cushings disease. He lost a tremendous amount of weight during the winter of 2009-2010. So he went on a daily treatment of pergolide. I was never able to put the weight back on him. He hated the weight grower the vet put him on. I would mix it in with his sweet feed, and he somehow manged to get all the sweet feed out and leave the stuff that he didn't like!

I spent sixteen years with that horse, and he leaves me with a hole in my heart. A good friend he was. Rest in peace my buddy.

Hospital Volunteers

In honor of National Volunteer Week, April 10-16, I thought I would share some of my wonderful experiences with volunteerism.

I have been a volunteer with the Frederick Memorial Hospital Auxiliary for almost fifteen years. Each time that I work my volunteer shift, I am continually amazed by the dedication and service of the hundreds of green vest wearers that assist our community. Volunteers greet patients and guests, assist families, sell cards and flowers in the gift shop, raise needed funds for hospital purchases, and are just generally very busy people.

One of those volunteers, whose energy supply I believe is limitless, is Wendy Brundage. I first met Wendy back in 2003 when I agreed to serve as co-chairperson for the Auxiliary’s annual Snow Ball. Wendy was full of new and creative ideas. She ventured to use new vendors and found different and interesting ways to increase the revenue from the event. The following year, when it was my turn to chair the ball, I tried to fill the shoes she left behind, but I had neither the creativity nor the energy to adequately fit the bill.

Wendy went on to serve as President for the Auxiliary. She carried that same energy and innovation with her to the organization’s leadership position. One of the things that never failed to impress me with Wendy’s work was how her family took up the charge and served right along side her. Daughter Katie chaired one of the Snow Ball committees and was mom’s right hand assistance. Even Wendy’s mother was on hand to offer assistance in any capacity that she could. John, Wendy’s husband, was even part of the act. Wendy recruited everyone in her household as well as those in the neighborhood.

An element of volunteerism that often goes unnoticed is the families of volunteers. Whether they are active volunteers themselves or not, they become helpers in the cause. Many people give countless hours of service to our community but are only enabled to do so because of the support that they get at home. I know that even my poor husband has been recruited to help with mailings and running errands. His assistance is something for which I am eternally grateful.

Our community is filled with people who are more than willing to give of their time and of themselves to make the area where we live a better place. The next time you enter Frederick Memorial Hospital, look for a green vest. They’re everywhere. And with that green vest, I am sure that you will find a smiling face that accompanies it. If you are not already a volunteer in our area, consider joining the forces. It is not only rewarding, but you get to meet some amazing folks!