Even though he’s volunteered at Lawrence Memorial Hospital (LMH) for four years, senior Bryce Ridgway still doesn’t enjoy transporting warm, bloody placentas from room to room.
“It’s in a container,” Ridgway said, “but it’s still warm and everything, so that’s kinda gross.”
Bryce Ridgway, his younger brother sophomore Caleb Ridgway and several other Free State students have the pleasure of carrying afterbirth and various other interesting substances around the hospital as part of their volunteer duties.
“[We] escort people around, give them directions [and] move stuff around the hospital like labs, vials [and] hospital beds,” Bryce Ridgway said.
Junior Megan McReynolds, who has volunteered at LMH for two years, had a similar escorting job until the admissions desk needed additional support.
“If I’m doing the admissions,” McReynolds said, “I get the ‘exciting’ job of handing someone a slip of paper and greeting them, teaching them how to fill it out and then having them take a seat.”
While sometimes the task at hand is less exciting than alternative activities in which she could be participating, McReynolds finds that the fruits of her labor are worth it.
“When someone’s having a really bad day because they have to get tests done or something,” McReynolds said, “… just to see a smiling face that doesn’t treat them like ‘just a patient,’ … makes them really happy, so that’s my favorite part probably.”
Volunteers are also motivated by future opportunities volunteering provides.
“My mom said that if I got more volunteer hours in a hospital then I could probably get into a better college,” junior Lizzy Hadl said. “So … it looks good on a resume.”
Regardless of their volunteering incentive, overall, most enjoy the experience.
“I like everything,” Caleb Ridgway said. “Meeting new people, talking to new people [and] helping the community.”
Volunteering changes students’ attitudes and outlooks, enabling them to view their personal challenges in a more realistic way.
“I think it just kind of puts into perspective how fortunate I am,” McReynolds said. “… I think I take for granted my busy schedule, and I complain about it a lot, but then you realize that there are people who have it much worse than you do… [Volunteering] taught me to be more grateful for what I have, I think.”