“Volunteers are very valuable to our society,” said John E. Carrington, chairman of NYM’s board of trustees. “I am always delighted to be here to say thank you for all that you do.”

The Ann Chisena Award for Community Involvement was presented to Phoebe Lithgow. A Harvard graduate, Ms. Lithgow resides in the Upper West Side.  She has extensive volunteer experience and currently volunteers in NYM’S Step by Step Program, a new initiative to train new parents to recognize developmental milestones, which takes place in the Hospital’s pediatric clinic. 

Bob Jackson was this year’s recipient of the Marie La Ruffa Award for Patient Care. As a Patient Care Volunteer, Mr. Jackson offers encouragement to patients, their families and staff members. He resides in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

The Frank Spera Award for Dependability was presented to Diana Gradus, also a resident of Park Slope. Ms. Gradus volunteers in the Hospital’s Sparks of Life-Pet Therapy Program, where she and her dog spend their time visiting patients on NYM’s pediatric, physical rehabilitation, geriatric and acute psychiatry units.

Elizabeth Reagan was the recipient of the Mary Velez Emergency Room Award for Excellence. Ms. Reagan is a Project Contact volunteer in the Emergency Department, where she is a designated volunteer trainer who orients new volunteers to the complexity of the Emergency Department. A student at New York University, Ms. Reagan lives in Yonkers, New York.

 The New York Methodist Auxiliary Award for Outstanding Service by a High School Student was given to Maurice Pahalan, a science teacher at Clara Barton High School, who has been an influential participant in the Hospital’s partnership with the high school. Mr. Pahalan resides in Canarsie, Brooklyn,

“We are grateful to all our volunteers who contribute so much to our Hospital each year,” said Mimi Makovitzky, director of educational and volunteer resources at NYM, to event attendees. “It is truly joyful to celebrate with them.”

New York Methodist Hospital encourages all interested individuals to apply for volunteer opportunities at the Hospital. To apply, go to http://www.nym.org, click on community outreach, and then select volunteer opportunities to complete an application.

New York Methodist Hospital

New York Methodist Hospital, a voluntary, acute-care teaching facility located in Brooklyn’s Park Slope, houses 651 inpatient beds (including bassinets) and provides services to over 34,000 inpatients each year.  An additional 350,000 outpatient visits and services are logged annually.  The Hospital offers Institutes in the following areas: Advanced and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Asthma and Lung Disease; Cancer Care; Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery; Digestive and Liver Disorders; Diabetes and Other Endocrine Disorders; Vascular Medicine and Surgery; Family Care; Neurosciences; Orthopedic Medicine and Surgery and Women’s Health. The Hospital, founded in 1881, has undergone extensive renovation and modernization over the years.  New York Methodist is affiliated with the Weill College of Medicine at Cornell University and it is a member of NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System.