Helping others: Carpenter has volunteered 11,000 hours at Greene County General Hospital

ENJOYS VOLUNTEERING: Dorothy Carpenter recently was recognized for passing the 11,000 mark for volunteer hours at Greene County General Hospital in Linton. The 86-year-old woman has been volunteering at the hospital since January 1972. That was in the old Freeman-Greene County Hospital -- where Wendy's is now located. "I've been at it a long time," Dorothy humbly says. The old hospital is shown in the painting behind Carpenter. (Greene County Daily World/Nick Schneider) [Order this photo]

Dorothy recently was recognized for passing the 11,000 mark for volunteer hours at Greene County General Hospital in Linton.

The 86-year-old woman has been volunteering at the hospital since January 1972. That was in the old Freeman-Greene County Hospital -- where Wendy's is now located.

"I've been at it a long time," Dorothy humbly says.

Dorothy has been volunteering at the hospital 37 years and the 11,000 hours converts to 458 around-the-clock days.

She admits to be slowing down some with her volunteer job and only on Fridays nowadays at the information desk near the entrance.

She usually works about seven hours -- 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

"It takes a long time to get 11,000 hours." she said with a laugh.

The volunteer work at GCGH is carried out by a dedicated group of about 30 hospital auxiliary members, like Dorothy, who used to be called "Pink Ladies."

They greet visitors, run the gift shop and help get mail and flower deliveries to patients.

In years past, Dorothy served as the auxiliary president, treasure and she managed the gift shop.

These days her job is much simpler.

She greets visitors when they come to the hospital and directs them to the rooms, if they ask for assistance.

"I started at the Freeman-Greene County Hospital. We moved to the new hospital in 1974. We were called Pink Ladies then and I just wanted to help out so that's when I started," Dorothy recalled.

She said the move to the new hospital was a big and better change.

The auxiliary had a gift shop at the new hospital. The organization holds various sales throughout the year to raise money, which is put back into the hospital for equipment and furniture purchases or used for scholarships.

When asked what she enjoys about her volunteering at the hospital, Dorothy quickly replied, "You know I like helping people and then I have some of my best friends here -- the ones I work with. I've benefited in addition to helping someone else."

Dorothy, a widow, has been a homemaker most of her life.

Her husband Thomas Carpenter, who worked at NSWC Crane, died many years ago.

The Linton woman says she will continue her volunteer work at GCGH as long as she is able.

"I'm 86 and I still keep my own home and I am very active," she stated.

Dorothy, a 1940 Linton High School graduate, has one daughter, Sharon Dyer, a retired Linton-Stockton School District teacher.

"I've lived in Linton all my life," she proudly said.

When asked what she likes best about her hometown, Dorothy said, "There isn't anything I don't like."

When she is not volunteering at the hospital, Dorothy says she stays busy taking care of her home.

She also enjoyed traveling in past years visiting Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji as well as all 50 states.

Dorothy also has been on several mission trips and helped to build a church in South Africa.

She also sponsored five boys through "Compassion International" for 29 years. The boys were in India, Burma and the Philippines. She regularly corresponded with them during those sponsorship years.

For her recent volunteer milestone, Dorothy was awarded another pin to add to her growing collection.

She explained that pins are awarded after attaining 100 hours, 500 hours and each 1,000 hour mark.

GCGH administrator Jonas Uland lauded the auxiliary organization -- calling them goodwill ambassadors for the hospital in the community.

The auxiliary sells candy, jewelry and books as well as operating the gift shop to raise funds, which are put back into the hospital and the community, he pointed out.

"They use these funds for a number of things. Periodically, they will do some capital equipment expenditures. They do things for scholarships for employees here at the hospital. They actually do some things that are important from an infrastructural standpoint. They do a lot of functions at the hospital that are very important in the day in and day out operations of the hospital," he said.

Uland said he consults with some of the auxiliary volunteers and gets feedback on how the hospital is administering services.

Speaking about Dorothy's faithful service to the hospital, Uland said, "She's been a long-timer here. There are three things that come to mind when I think of Dorothy, that is being pleasant, dedicated and loyal to the hospital."

He added, "I know Dorothy has enjoyed her time here and put in 11,000 hours to reflect that."