Volunteers provide selfless service to 59th Medical Wing Published April 16, 2009 By Senior Airman Nicole Roberts 59th Medical Wing Public Affairs LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Volunteer Appreciation Week, honoring 59th Medical Wing volunteers, takes place April 19-25 at Wilford Hall Medical Center. The theme for this year's event is, 'Volunteers: providing a world of commitment to our armed forces mission.' There are more than 400 volunteers currently working in the hospital. The jobs they accomplish every day save Wilford Hall about $20.25 an hour for each volunteer, which adds up to more than $1 million annually, said Maryland Jones, Volunteer Services director. The volunteers are assigned to more than 65 different areas throughout the hospital. Some of these departments include the patient visit program, the deployment support group, and the workroom assistance program for disabled volunteers where they help prepare envelopes and same-day surgery folders. "It makes you happy to see the smile on their faces when you leave; they are so happy to see someone," said Shirley Spencer, a volunteer assigned to the patient visit program. There are volunteers that have dedicated more than 30 years of their time to the hospital, such as Erna Tumolo, who's volunteered for 36 years. Gary Johnson, an information desk volunteer, has given more than 20,000 hours of volunteer service throughout 20 years in the hospital's orthopedic department. Volunteer Appreciation Week isn't the only time their selflessness is recognized, said Mrs. Jones. When a volunteer has worked 200 hours they are recognized with a pin to wear on their vest. They also receive a pin when they hit 500 hours, 1,000 hours, and higher. Additionally, there are recognition pins for every five years of volunteer service. "I know all of the volunteers and they are all wonderful," said Mrs. Jones. "They love their jobs because they love helping people and that's what it's all about."