UH Elyria volunteer honored for over 15,000 hours of service

ELYRIA — For more than 15,000 hours of her life, Gertie Vaden has volunteered at University Hospitals Elyria. She is the first to hit the milestone at UH Elyria. Vaden decided to start volunteering after her husband died. She wanted something to do with her time and to distract herself. That free time turned into 12 years and five months of volunteering at the hospital. Vaden has done a little bit of everything: discharges, paperwork, taking blood to the lab, anywhere she's needed to be. She doesn't have a favorite job because she likes everything she does at the hospital, Vaden said. "I enjoy myself," she said. She said she had to get over her husband's death somehow, so she went to UH. Her 15,000 hours are equal to seven years of full-time employment. Vaden said she was tired of sitting at home and so she called to start volunteering. Volunteer Coordinator Lois Koehler said Vaden has made plenty of friends. "We just greatly appreciate Gertie," Koehler said. "She is willing to do anything you ask her to do. She is well respected by the fellow volunteers and the staff all really appreciate how much she is willing to help." Vaden didn't think she would be at UH Elyria as long as she has been, but she said she'll keep on volunteering as long as she can. Volunteers only recently came back to UH Elyria. For most of the pandemic, volunteers didn't come into the building. To celebrate Vaden, and National Volunteer Week, UH Elyria posted a 30-foot banner near the hospital entrance. Vaden also received a pin to recognize her 15,000 hours. The banner will be posted until April 23. Contact Laina Yost at (440) 329-7121 or lyost@chroniclet.com.