CHAMBERSBURG – Arlene Spicher, a longtime Chambersburg resident, has reached an extraordinary milestone, logging more than 17,000 hours of volunteer service over 23 years at WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital. Stationed at an information desk in a medical building, Spicher helps patients and visitors navigate the facility with ease.
“I enjoy the people here and helping them,” Spicher said. “It’s important to have volunteers so that team members can get the support they need, and we can help ease their workload.”
WellSpan Health’s volunteer program, which includes more than 1,400 volunteers systemwide, contributed nearly 84,000 hours of service last year. Volunteers provided approximately 112,000 wayfindings, greetings, transports and specimen runs, alongside more than 11,000 pet therapy visits to patients and staff.
The health system recently honored over 200 volunteers for hours-of-service milestones, with 16 recognized for contributing 5,000 or more hours. Additionally, nearly 90 volunteers, including Mary Ellen Blyler and Linda Walter at WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital, and Margaret Honodel at WellSpan Waynesboro Hospital, celebrated significant years-of-service milestones, reaching up to 25 years.
Laurie Woods, director of regional volunteer engagement and system coordination, praised the volunteers’ dedication. “The way they show up every day makes such a difference in people’s lives,” Woods said. “They make people smile, just by being themselves and being there for someone else.”
WellSpan encourages community members to share Spicher’s achievement and consider joining its volunteer program to support patients and staff across south-central Pennsylvania.
