At Broward Health, we appreciate our volunteers. Although they are not currently at our hospitals, we want to recognize their valuable contributions during National Volunteer Week, April 19 -25, 2020. Meet some of our dedicated volunteers:

James and Joanne Lennon
Broward Health Medical Center

James and Joanne Lennon believe more people should volunteer.
“It’s rewarding to do something when you are not looking
for a paycheck,” said Joanne. “It’s for the greater
good.” The dedicated retirees have donated their time for the
last nine years. The New England couple can usually be
found at least once a week selling books in front of the
gift shop and connecting with staff, patients and guests.

Joanne also makes and sells baby quilts to support the
Broward Health Auxiliary. The couple are a vital part of the hospital, and provide
support and valuable service to the hospital.
“Our mentality is to give back,” said Joanne. “That’s what we were taught.”

Joe and Lucrecia Michalopoulos
Broward Health Coral Springs

When Joe and Lucrecia Michalopoulos retired in the
early 2000s, they looked for a rewarding way to spend
their time. They began volunteering at a library, and
then added Broward Health Coral Springs to their schedule.
The couple eventually decided to devote their time
to just the hospital.

Joe volunteers in the outpatient registration department.
He greets and registers patients before guiding
them to their destination within the hospital. Lucrecia
works in the hospital’s volunteer office, where she interviews
high school students and adults interested in volunteering. She also creates
the volunteer schedules, helps in the gift shop and assists with other projects as
needed.

Over the 12 years the couple has volunteered at Broward Health Coral Springs,
they both most enjoy meeting people. Joe relishes being able to put patients at ease
and being with his volunteer family. “You meet nice people and make good friends.
It is something to do and is good for the body and mind,” he said. Lucrecia enjoys
interviewing the students and learning about their aspirations. She also likes that
volunteering allows her to keep active, she said.

Emma Kuchenbecker and Marge Fryer
Broward Health North

Volunteering has always been priority for Emma
Kuchenbecker and Marge Fryer. Kuchenbecker and
Fryer have donated a combined 25 years to the patients
of Broward Health North.

Kuchenbecker began volunteering in 2001 after the
loss of her husband. She first worked as a cashier in a
Pompano Beach thrift shop that benefited the hospital.
She later moved to the gift shop at Broward Health
North, where she serves as a cashier every Wednesday. Kuchenbecker said she feels
it’s important to give back to the community. “I have met wonderful people who
browse in the shop,” she said, “and I encourage others to get out and volunteer.”

For Fryer, the decision to volunteer at Broward Health North was natural. She
knew the hospital well having spent 20 years as an administrative assistant to the
hospital’s CEO. In 2013, three years after her retirement, Fryer returned to the place
that gave her so much joy. She started as a greeter alongside her husband, Bob. She
then began volunteering in the gift shop as a buyer, purchasing items to sell in the
store. “I volunteer because I feel that giving back is very important,” said Fryer. “It’s
also amazing to see people from back in the day when I worked in administration.”