Hospital Honors Pastoral Care Volunteers

ORANGE CITY, Fla., February 20, 2017 On Feb. 13, Florida Hospital Fish Memorial hosted the 21st annual Pastoral Care Volunteer Service Awards Dinner to honor the contributions of the hospitals 26 pastoral care volunteers.

The pastoral care volunteers are specifically charged with extending the presence of spiritual care to our patients, said Art Bakewell, Florida Hospital Fish Memorial director of pastoral care. These volunteers do not counsel or provide clinical pastoral services, but rather, they are skilled listeners who have a compassionate heart and a willingness to allow Gods Holy Spirit to work through their presence to bring comfort and hope.

During the annual dinner, Florida Hospital Fish Memorial leadership recognized not only the individual efforts of those who dedicate themselves to the spiritual mission of the hospital, but also the partnerships between the hospital and the various churches and denominations represented within the pastoral care volunteers.

Our partnership with the religious community is vital to our ongoing spiritual mission and our ability to serve the spiritual and religious needs of our community more effectively, Bakewell said. Without the pastoral care volunteers, we simply could not provide the broad level of service and spiritual presence we must.

This year, volunteer Ray Proseus received the David O'Hara Service Excellence Award, which recognizes a volunteers achievements, dedication, compassion and excellence.

The award is named in memory of Reverend David O'Hara, a member of the hospitals initial class of volunteers. After he passed away in 2010, the award was established to honor his legacy, recognizing others who have gone the extra mile and provide service beyond the call of duty.

In addition, Bakewell received a special surprise recognition, thanking him for his years of service and leadership before his pending retirement in February.

About Florida Hospital Fish Memorial

Florida Hospital Fish Memorial is a member of Adventist Health System, a faith-based health care organization with 46 hospital campuses and nearly 8,200 licensed beds in 10 states. With 175-beds, Florida Hospital Fish Memorial is one of the six Florida Hospitals in Volusia and Flagler counties that composes the Florida Hospital East Florida Region. As the largest hospital system in the area, the Florida Hospital East Florida Region has 923 beds and more than 6,000 employees. With a mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ, the Florida Hospital East Florida Region collectively contributed nearly $120 million in benefits in 2015 to the underprivileged, the community's overall health and wellness and spiritual needs, and capital improvements.